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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23492656">Quarantine With Me, Darling</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamehazelollipop/pseuds/flamehazelollipop'>flamehazelollipop</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>"Real world", Alastor Fangirl, Alastor is Bad at Feelings (Hazbin Hotel), Angst, Anxious Reader, Confused Alastor Fangirl, Confused Alastor because of Fangirl, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, JUST GET TOGETHER ALREADY, Living Together, Magic, Multi, Only an idiot would fall in love with someone from another world, Secrets, Self-Isolation, Sexual Humor, Sexual Tension, Singing, Slow Burn, They're both idiots at some point, What is a fourth wall, but to live with, especially someone you have no choice, identity crisis, quarantined, reader is bad at feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:35:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>70,447</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23492656</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamehazelollipop/pseuds/flamehazelollipop</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alone and under self-quarantine, you were running out of fanfics on him to read. Well, until you wished for them to be with you. You couldn’t put into words what was going on. All you knew is that, the moment you started reading this mysterious fanfic, certain characters from a certain hotel appeared right before you. In your house. With nowhere to go, you had no choice but to take all six of them in--Charlie, Vaggie, Angel, Husk, Niffty...and him.</p><p>“Why, hello, darling!” </p><p>You were in for a self-indulgent ride--laced with a not-so-delicate mix of delight, desire and desolation. All this just because you were stuck in self-isolation. </p><p>You asked for this.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alastor (Hazbin Hotel) &amp; Reader, Alastor (Hazbin Hotel)/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1117</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1357</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. You Asked For This</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A self-indulgent fic to lighten up, a small distraction from what's currently happening. I hope everyone is safe, do stay home and self-quarantine, you guys! This is my first Alastor fic. I cannot get enough of him, I swear. I need an outlet for this, dare I say, obsession for this perfect creature. Let me know if you want me to continue this fic. :') Thanks!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This quarantine was starting to take the life out of you. </p><p> </p><p>The year 2020, despite being previously regarded as a promising year, quickly got pegged as a disastrous one, that ultimately got worse and worse with each passing month. This particular month, a dangerous virus has been going around, causing everyone into forced self-isolation. You were just as distraught as everyone else, and you worry about what this threat entailed for you, for everyone, in the future. All you could do right now, is support everyone’s safety by staying at home for the next month. </p><p> </p><p>Which brings you to a particular dilemma...you were alone. </p><p> </p><p>Though you were already a young adult, you happen to live with your family. So, how did you end up alone? Well, your family went to visit your relatives out in the countryside last week--without you, because you had a lot of work on your hands. The problem was, they weren’t able to catch a ride back to the city in time--which resulted in them returning to your relative’s house for the lockdown. </p><p> </p><p>You weren’t really one to be so outgoing. Honestly, you were more inclined to be in your own little world when your family was around. That being said...it just feels...different for you. </p><p> </p><p>The days are becoming <em>too slow</em>. </p><p> </p><p>With the whole quarantine situation, you had no choice but to work at home. It was convenient, but it did feel off--you always kind of felt more productive in an actual work setup than your sofa and coffee table. Though, it was Saturday today, so you didn’t really have anything to do other than laze around the house and idly read fanfics. </p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t help but chuckle at the fanfic you were currently reading. <em> How ironic.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Curled up in a comfortable blanket, you felt like you were channeling your inner burrito by just being fully enveloped by the soft fabric, with only your face sticking out, your phone right in front of you. </p><p> </p><p>Squinting at your phone, you felt a wave of exasperation rush through you. “That’s all? Seriously?! Did I...just literally finish all posted fanfics about him?” You pouted. Placing down your phone on the coffee table beside you, you turned to stare at the ceiling, the lack of fanfics to read causing you to feel inexplicable emptiness. </p><p> </p><p>“Now, what? What am I supposed to do now?” you asked rhetorically, raising your hands in the air dramatically before you plopped them back to your sides. “Most of the fanfics were about the Reader being with them at the Hotel, but it’s not like I can make that happen now, huh?”</p><p> </p><p>You sighed. “If only I could bring them here instead.” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You were always told to be careful of what you wish for, but you never knew there were some wishes that defied even the rationalities of the world you belonged in.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>A swift, strange noise emanated from your phone. That wasn’t supposed to happen, your phone was on silent. You looked at your screen. It was on a page that showed a brand new fanfic. You knew it was new, you religiously keep yourself updated with fics regarding him. Yet...this one was new...and...off. Furrowing your brows, you read the title, “Quarantine with Me, Darling”. </p><p> </p><p>Trying to stifle a giggle, you rolled your eyes on the thought of being quarantined with him. Your eyes darted to the summary. </p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>“Alone and under self-quarantine, you were running out of fanfics on him to read. Well, until you wished for them to be with you. You couldn’t put into words what was going on. All you knew is that, the moment you started reading this mysterious fanfic, certain characters from a certain hotel appeared right before you. In your house. With nowhere to go, you had no choice but to take all six of them in--Charlie, Vaggie, Angel, Husk, Niffty...and him.</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> “Why, hello, darling!”  </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>You were in for a self-indulgent ride--laced with a not-so-delicate mix of delight, desire and desolation. All this just because you were stuck in self-isolation. </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em> You asked for this.”   </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>There was an eerie feeling brought by the last line. You felt slightly conflicted on whether to read it or not. Brushing away any doubts, you decided to click on it anyway. Really, <em> what could possibly go wrong?  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Apparently, everything. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The moment you pressed down on the fic, your phone screen went black. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Crash. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Everything just happened all too quickly. Your coffee table was pushed over, your glass fell to the floor, picture frames on the shelves got toppled over, loud thuds echoed in your living room...and six unsettling new figures were now present in your once spacious bubble. You felt adrenaline rushing through you, severely alarmed by the sudden presence of these unknown visitors. You couldn’t even scream, you just scrambled to your feet, still covered in your blanket, rushing for the door--when you realize you couldn’t leave the house. </p><p> </p><p>Turning around, your back pressing against the door, you could feel yourself tremble. Trying hard to conceal it and put up a front against the possible threat that arrived, you steadied yourself to at least stand straighter. </p><p> </p><p>“Ugh, wha...what happened..?” </p><p> </p><p>“I--I don’t know, hun. We’re...not in the hotel anymore.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, no shit, toots! Where uh, are we?!”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, gosh! I don’t really know where we are, but oh man, this place is a mess!” </p><p> </p><p>“You! Did you do this?! Where the fuck are we?” </p><p> </p><p>“Husker, my dear pal, I’m not responsible for our sudden change of venue.” his smile curled up wickedly from ear to ear. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> That voice.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t help but gasp when he suddenly turned to meet your gaze. “Perhaps we should ask this charming young lady who seems to be the resident of this humble abode?” </p><p> </p><p>All eyes were on you now. </p><p> </p><p>“I, uhm--” you paused, looking at the six one by one. It’s..them. You couldn’t believe your eyes and ears. Why are they here? How? Wha...They don’t know? You know them. Should they know that you know? What should you do?!</p><p> </p><p>During your anxiety-induced mini-episode of internal monologuing, you completely failed to notice that a certain character dressed in a strikingly smooth, pinstriped jacket was already mere inches in front of you, gazing into your eyes inquisitively. Holding out his hand, his all-too-familiar, mischievous smile continued to grace his lips.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Why, hello, darling! The name’s Alastor. Charmed to meet you, sweetheart!”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>He was waiting for you to accept the handshake he was offering. You felt a chill run up your spine.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You asked for this. </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Remind Me to Hide It All</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for your encouragement! I honestly just write about this as I imagine it. Do let me know if you're still interested! Thank you! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em> The name’s Alastor. Charmed to meet you, sweetheart! </em>” </p><p> </p><p>He was waiting for you to accept the handshake he was offering. You felt a chill run up your spine.</p><p> </p><p><em> You asked for this </em>. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b>*~*~*~*</b>
</p><p> </p><p>Alastor is literally holding out his hand in front of you. You’ll be <em> damned </em> if you pass up this opportunity.</p><p> </p><p>Trying your best to not to show any unwanted or unwarranted emotions at a mere handshake, you slowly took his hand in yours. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Oh god, why are his hands so soft even through the gloves?  You could straight up just hold his hand for eternity.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>A small smile curled up on your lips, causing Alastor to give a soft, questioning hum as he shook your hand. Noticing his curious expression, you suddenly felt overly-conscious and let go of his hand. </p><p> </p><p>“(Name)...I’m (Name)...” you managed to say, still taken aback by what was happening. “I’m, uhm, I live here and...uh...why are you here…?” </p><p> </p><p>“Quite strange for you to ask that question first--but to be frank, we have not a single clue! Hahaha!” Alastor replied, his tone teasing your silly choice of question, a soft laugh track heard from who knows where.  </p><p> </p><p>You fumbled with your fingers, in a messed up dichotomy on wanting to look away, yet wanting to look at them. <em> In real life </em>. “Ahah..uhm...sorry, uh, Al--I mean, Alastor…” </p><p> </p><p>Looking up at the tall man before you, you decided to scan over his whole appearance. His whole ensemble screamed blood red. He had short, strikingly bright red hair with black streaks that went all the way up to the top of his head--resembling deer ears, which was complimented with two small black antlers. He had greyish skin, blood red scleras contrasted with bright red irises--and an oval monocle perched in front of his right eye.</p><p> </p><p>Despite being dressed in a bright red pinstripe coat and burgundy dress pants, the most striking feature he had was that iconic sharp-toothed smile that you swore was a threat in itself. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> But hey, you’re still into it, regardless.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Being the awkward potato that you were, you couldn’t really think of how to properly react to the sudden turn of events. Taking notice of your uneasiness, the pale, blonde belle with rosy cheeks stepped in to break some of the tension. </p><p> </p><p>“Uhm, hi… I’m Charlie.” she waved, bringing in everyone’s attention. She began pointing at each of her companions and introduced them one by one. “This is Vaggie, Angel, Husk, Niffty...and well, that’s Alastor.” The others seemed just as uncomfortable, as well.</p><p>Vaggie, the slim one with white hair adorned with a pink bow, gave an indifferent wave. Angel, the one with four arms, a fluffy, prominent chest, and slender build just rolled his eyes. And Husk, a casino-themed, anthropomorphic cat, gave a grumble. Niffty, who seemed to be the youngest, was somehow more enthusiastic and waved back, but couldn’t help but feel uneasy with all the mess around her--her singular eye relentlessly scanning her disrupted surroundings.</p><p> </p><p>“We’re really sorry to uh, well, intrude...We have no idea where we are and how we got here.” She gave her head a small scratch, unsure if you would understand. “Please don’t be afraid of us, we’re...we mean no harm, really.”</p><p> </p><p>Awkwardly, you gestured to the sofa and chairs in the living room. “I...Sorry, I would have to be very careless to just...believe you...but I’ll hear you out. You guys can take a seat over there.”</p><p> </p><p>“...Thanks..” Charlie gave you an apologetic smile. She turned to Alastor, who was still standing beside you. “Give her some space, Al, please.” </p><p> </p><p>Alastor gave you an amused once-over before he obliged. There was a short pause, as you were still trying to find the right words to say. “...Alright, I...You guys...don’t...look human…”</p><p> </p><p>“Hah! Well, shit, toots, ya got eyes like a fuckin’ hawk. ‘Course we ain’t, even better, we’re--” Angel’s face turned dark, an additional pair of arms sprouted from his sides, his hands raised as if he threatened to attack. “--demons straight from Hell!” You were startled by the sudden change. He laughed, much to Vaggie’s obvious ire. “Knock it off!” she scolded him. </p><p> </p><p>Despite the fright, you didn’t want to give Angel the satisfaction of seeing you fearing him. “Ah, well, it’s pretty obvious you’re no Angel from heaven.” you chuckled lightly. Vaggie tried to hold back a laugh by placing a hand to cover her mouth. </p><p> </p><p>Angel squinted at you and sprawled his arms and legs to accentuate his body. “Hey! I ain’t got a place up there, but you have to admit that I look <em> heavenly </em>.” He tried to exaggerate his “appeal” by pretending to fall over in between Husk and Alastor.</p><p> </p><p>Which never really happened, since Alastor snapped his fingers--and in a blink of an eye, Angel was tied to a chair with duct tape over his mouth, muffling any coherent plea for help. </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t mind that one, sweetheart!” he laughed wickedly before turning to you. “Angel’s more of a...liability to us in this situation. <em> Or in any situation for that matter! </em>Hahaha!”</p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. Dammit, why are they so in character. <em> Well duh? Because they are the characters?  </em></p><p> </p><p> Looking back from Angel to Alastor, your brows furrowed. “Well, if..you could do that with just a snap of your fingers...can’t you do the same to get back to uhm, Hell?” </p><p> </p><p>“Hmm, excellent suggestion!” Snapping his fingers, Alastor stared down to the floor, as did the rest of us. There was a strange gust of wind, which was freaky, since your windows were closed--but hey, this is Alastor we’re talking about. A few moments have passed. </p><p> </p><p>Nothing. </p><p> </p><p>Alastor spun around to face you, his smile not wavering. “Well, my dear, this seems to be quite the predicament!” </p><p> </p><p>“Maybe, uhm, someone else...can try…?” you slowly asked. Everyone else shook their heads aggressively. “Kid, if Alastor couldn’t do it, pretty sure none of us can’t--well,” Husk trailed, turning to Charlie. “Hold on, aren’t <em> you </em> the ‘ <em> Princess of Hell </em>’ of somethin’?” </p><p> </p><p>Charlie fumbled with her fingers. “Y-Yeah, but hmm..” She raised her hand, her palm facing the floor. “I can try?” </p><p> </p><p>Red light softly began to emanate from the floor. It began to grow and grow...but faded just as quickly. Charlie couldn’t help but sigh. “...Still nothing.”</p><p> </p><p>“So...you guys are...<em> stuck here? </em> ” you said aloud, trying to fight every fiber of your being to say it with even the smallest sliver of excitement. <em> They’re fucking stuck at your house.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Everyone turned to you expectantly. Feeling guilty from the sudden intrusion and confusion in your life, Charlie took a step towards you. “If--If you’re too troubled by this, we--we can uhm, try looking for a different place to stay while we’re figuring things out..?” </p><p> </p><p>“That’s impossible.” You held up your hands and shook your head as if you were telling them to stop all thoughts of it. “Uh, why..?” the blonde demon asked, her face reflected enough confusion for the others’ behalf. </p><p> </p><p>You readjusted the blanket hung at your back to envelope you. “There’s...this dangerous pandemic happening around the globe, no one’s allowed to go out. We’re under an enhanced community quarantine.”</p><p> </p><p>“A pandemic? My, this reminds me of a certain flu that went around during my time! How amusing!” Alastor couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of the fear that plagued the hearts and minds of millions across the world.</p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t bring yourself to humor him. </p><p> </p><p>“No. It’s not amusing. Everything’s put to a stop, everything’s messed up..” You sighed, not wanting to escalate to an actual argument with him of all people. “A-Anyways, there won’t be any establishments open, either...and well...it would be kinda...difficult if you guys caused a commotion even worse than the pandemic itself.” </p><p> </p><p>Vaggie placed a hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “Charlie, she’s right. We don’t really know if this pandemic would affect us or not...but either way, it’d be difficult for us to just go around looking like this..and especially now that there isn’t a place to go to other than…” she paused, bringing her gaze to you. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> There isn’t a place to go to other than here.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You felt a knot in your stomach, rational thoughts started to echo in your mind. <em> This isn’t some fanfiction, (Name). Yes, you’d give anything to have these dorks with you if it were a fanfic--but this is real life this time. They could be dangerous. You know that they can. They could literally snap you in half and not give two shits.  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Yet...you can’t just turn a blind eye to this, either.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You asked for this, after all.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Letting out a deep breath, you spoke, “You can stay here...if you want…”</p><p> </p><p>“Ohhhh--” Charlie couldn’t hold back her happy squee as she rushed to hug you. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!” <em> Damn, why is everyone here so soft to the touch? These characters should be illegal.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Releasing you from her excited hug, Charlie backed up and apologized. “Sorry, I’m just really thrilled you’re letting us stay! You’re so nice!”</p><p> </p><p>“Y-You’re welcome. But uhm,” You scratched your cheek, waiting for everyone to take attention. “I have a...few conditions.” </p><p> </p><p>Alastor tilted his head and gave a mischievous look. “Dear, is this a deal you wish to strike?” </p><p> </p><p>At that point, Charlie and Vaggie darted their eyes to you and aggressively shook their heads, mouthing out, “no, don’t”.</p><p>
  <em> You knew not to. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“No, uhm, just some...house rules, ahah..” You waved your hands awkwardly, not sure how many “no” gestures to make. “With the pandemic, quarantine...and this whole situation...I think it would be best to set a few things straight before anything else.” </p><p> </p><p>“First, I may be taking you in, but I need you guys to help me out here at home. Help me cook food, do chores, the works. You can’t expect to just take you guys in and take care of you. You guys have to look after yourselves. If you ate, do the dishes. If you dirtied your clothes, do your own laundry. That kind of stuff.” Other than Charlie and Vaggie, everyone else looked disinterested with that condition. Charlie just gave a nod and a thumbs up.</p><p> </p><p>“Second, no one is generally allowed to go outside. The only instance I would need to, would be for a quick grocery run, and that’s only allowed every Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. If I would ever need help, you guys have to follow every precaution I say.” Twiddling your thumbs, you looked back at them if they had any questions. </p><p> </p><p>“So, we actually <em> can </em>go outside, my dear?” Alastor smirked, trying to see if you’d take back your words earlier. </p><p> </p><p>You nodded slowly, but stood by what you said. “But, like I mentioned, only for when we really need to, and only two people per house could leave.” </p><p> </p><p>“Third...you can only stay here for until the quarantine is in effect..” Searching for the calendar hung up on the wall across the room, you continued, “.which is...within a month.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh..” Charlie couldn’t help but feel conflicted by the condition. Part of her thinks that they can solve their dilemma in less than a month, they just need to figure out how to summon a portal or circle back to Hell. Part of her...is worried that they might not get to figure it out in a span of a month...but then again…maybe you just felt forced to take them in...or...</p><p> </p><p>Noticing Charlie’s discomfort knowing this, you felt you had no choice but to tell her. “Look, I’m sorry...but, my family will be coming back to this house by the end of the quarantine...and I don’t think they would handle this as well as I am…”</p><p> </p><p>Charlie felt a wave of relief wash over her, knowing that the reason wasn’t brought by you entirely. “We understand. Letting us stay here for the time being is more than enough. You’re really helping us out.” she told you sincerely. You gave an apologetic smile. </p><p> </p><p>In the most monotone voice you could muster, you continued, “Fourth, you guys are not allowed to go to my room. <em> Ever. </em> There’s nothing really of interest in my room, but I just really don’t like having people other than myself in there. I hope you guys can respect my privacy.” </p><p> </p><p>For a second there, you thought you heard the crackle of static. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ...That was just...your imagination, right?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Fifth,” you paused, feeling a lump in your throat form. “You’re not allowed to hurt me in any way. If you even try, it’s the sleeping in the streets for you.” Unsure of how they’d react to this, you stared at your feet. You...just really have to make sure. You...can never be too careful. <em> Especially with… </em> The corner of your eyes tried to secretly catch a glimpse of the red-clad deer demon. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Only, what was the point of trying to do it in secret, when he was looking right at you? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Got it.” Charlie nodded in agreement, turning to face her companions. “Right, guys?” </p><p> </p><p>They all nodded in their own ways. Your eyes went over to where Angel was, still frustrated that he couldn’t talk and well, was still tied to the chair. Charlie gave Alastor an exasperated look. “C’mon, Al. Let Angel outta there.” </p><p> </p><p>“Ah, but isn’t the sound of Angel not talking at all just the sweetest sound you’d hear?” he joked(?). You tried your best not to laugh at his comment. </p><p> </p><p>Charlie frowned. “Al…” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, fine.” Alastor snapped his fingers once more, freeing Angel. The spider demon was fuming from the frustration he felt earlier, but still snapped at Al in a teasing manner. “I know ya uh, wanna tie me up and gag me, Alastor, but you could’ve waited until we got ourselves a room~” </p><p> </p><p>“Ugh. I truly miss those past few minutes when we couldn’t hear you!” Alastor rolled his eyes in distaste. <em> This whole exchange feels like a HuniCast stream and it is killing you. Like, you really cannot hold it in for much longer.  </em></p><p> </p><p>A quick laugh escaped your lips. </p><p> </p><p>You immediately cover your mouth, but everyone else seems to have heard it. Alastor stepped beside you and placed his arm over your shoulders to hold you close. “See? Even our charming human belle seems to agree with me.” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> So close. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I--uhm, sorry hahaha.” With a nervous chuckle, you pried his hands off of your shoulders. <em> Despite your heart wanting otherwise. </em>“A-Anyways, you guys uhm, can settle down here...help yourselves to a glass of water or something. I uh, just need to get something upstairs in my room real quick.” </p><p> </p><p>Flashing you a smile, Charlie spoke, “Sure, sure! No problem!” </p><p> </p><p>Returning the smile, you carefully navigated through your own living room, now filled with demons, and made your way up the stairs. When you finally arrived at the door of your room, you couldn’t help but pause. <em> Your heart was beating mad. Well, who wouldn’t with everything that just...well, is happening, right?  </em></p><p> </p><p>You looked around to check if you were followed or anything. You were alone. Good. </p><p> </p><p>Slowly entering your room, you made light steps and closed the door behind you. You fumbled for the light switch. <em> Click.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Your room really had nothing of interest...well, other than…<em> the fact that it was filled wall to wall with posters of Alastor. Pillows of Alastor. Plushies of Alastor. T-Shirts of Alastor. And every possible thing you could’ve gotten your hands on that involved Alastor, Alastor, Alastor.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Blood seemed to rush all too quickly to your cheeks. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “They better not disobey Rule #4.”   </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Rule #4 must never be broken, else chaos will ensue. ;) </p><p>I really appreciate your comments. Please let me know what you think of this chapter! &lt;3 Take care, my dears!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Don't Answer the Door</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi! Thank you for all your wonderful comments! :') I've really indulged myself in this little fic's world now, I hope you guys enjoy this chap as much as I enjoyed writing it! Let me know what you think! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Your room really had nothing of interest...well, other than…<em> the fact that it was filled wall to wall with posters of Alastor. Pillows of Alastor. Plushies of Alastor. T-Shirts of Alastor. And every possible thing you could’ve gotten your hands on that involved Alastor, Alastor, Alastor.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Blood seemed to rush all too quickly to your cheeks. </p><p> </p><p><em> “They better not disobey Rule #4.” </em>  </p><p> </p><p>*~*~*~*</p><p> </p><p>You didn’t really have anything to get inside your room. More than anything, you just needed some time to <em> calm the fuck down. </em> Rolling around your bed, looking as red as Alastor’s strikingly bright ( <em> and flawless </em> ) red hair, your chest hurt badly from all the fangirl excitement you tried your very best to suppress. </p><p> </p><p>When you stopped rolling, you let yourself just lie down staring at the ceiling--that was also covered with Alastor posters. <em> Fuck.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Grabbing your fluffiest pillow, that was placed right beside an array of Alastor plushies, you let out a muffled scream into the cottony fabric. <em> Why is this happening to you? You know you’ve always wanted this but---why did it really happen? You weren’t really prepared for something that wasn’t written down in a fanfic with predetermined Reader lines! </em></p><p> </p><p>Your mind flashes back to <em> Alastor looking at you. Alastor talking to you. Alastor shaking your hand. Alastor holding you close. </em></p><p> </p><p>You let out another muffled scream to your pillow, which you swear would’ve been deaf by now if it had ears. </p><p> </p><p>Steadying your breath, you sat up. “Okay, (Name). Calm down. <em> Calm down. </em>” Even though this all feels like one big fanfictional dream, you had to accept the truth that it was really happening, and that you have to think all your actions through. </p><p> </p><p>Considering what rationality you still had left, you cannot deny the one thing that was on your mind. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You can’t let them find out about...all this.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Picking up your keys on the drawer and placing it in your pocket, you checked yourself out on your mirror. After taming your tresses, which had gotten messed up from the rolling, you walked towards the door and slowly left your room, carefully locking the door behind you. </p><p> </p><p>Looking across the hall, you looked at the vacant rooms. Your parents’ room, your older brothers’ room, your younger sister’s room, and a guest room. </p><p> </p><p>This will be...interesting. </p><p> </p><p>Making your way down the stairs, you could already hear the arguments ensuing in the mere minutes of your absence...and well, you were gonna go down there to make things worse. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh man, this should go here, here, here, and <em> here! </em>” you could hear Niffty running around the living room, unable to stop herself from rearranging the picture frames that fell over, brushing her feather duster over them. She looked really cute. You found her enthusiasm to clean very endearing. </p><p> </p><p>Over by the sofa, you saw Charlie and Vaggie having a quiet conversation. You could see how tensed and wary Vaggie was, but you saw her slowly ease up when her girlfriend held her hands in reassurance. </p><p> </p><p>Angel was already rummaging through your fridge. Husk was around the same area, a good distance away from Angel, but was secretly listening in on Angel’s rant on looking for a certain something. “‘Ey, ya have any liquor here, toots?” the spider demon asked as he saw you peering at them. </p><p> </p><p>“Er, well, we do...but…” You turned to Charlie and Vaggie, who overheard what Angel asked of you. Vaggie frowned at him. “We’re having none of that. You’re supposed to go clean--and c’mon, have some decency in someone else’s home!” </p><p> </p><p>“Ugh, quit yer yappin’, will ya? It’s just a li’l liquor, it ain’t gonna hurt nobody!” Angel shot back, his tone sharp and sassy. Vaggie glared at the four-armed demon, her blood boiling from his hopeless attitude. </p><p> </p><p>You felt bad for her, but came up with a compromise. You gave the two ladies a “let me handle this” kind of look before you spoke. “We’re actually on a liquor ban here because of the quarantine...but if you guys help me out, I’ll give you a bottle...a day?” You bargained. <em> A bottle a day doesn’t seem to be too bad, right? </em>There were still some cases of beer in your storage room, you had one of the keys. </p><p> </p><p>“Oho, toots, you serious?” Angel asked excitedly, craving for that cool, bitter drink he hasn’t tasted in a long while. He sauntered his way towards you and spoke in a sultry voice. “I uh, didn’t really peg ya to fuck around. How d’ya want me to <em> service you? </em>” </p><p> </p><p>Rolling your eyes, you chuckled. “I meant with house chores, silly.” You gestured at your cupboard. “If you guys help set up the table and wash the dishes tonight, I’ll give you a bottle each--but only if you do it right. I don’t want any glasses or plates breaking please.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, fuck! That’s easy goods right there!” Angel laughed. Setting up a fucking table was easy. </p><p> </p><p>When he turned around, however, he already saw that Husk was already placing the last plate and pair of utensils. His face was stoic as always, but the need for a drink drove him to act at the speed of light. He walked up to you in his usual scowl, but calmly spoke in his gruff voice. “I’mma cash in on that bottle now, kid.” </p><p> </p><p>These characters are so fucking cute you cannot. You clenched your fists, stopping yourself from laughing at the fact that Husk took away Angel’s plans. </p><p> </p><p>Angel literally pouted like a kid whose candy got stolen from him. “Aww, c’mon! Now how am I gonna get one?” </p><p> </p><p>“Dishes duty for you.” you teased, sticking out your tongue before you left the dinner area to get a bottle from the storage room. You could hear Angel audibly sigh and whine dramatically. </p><p> </p><p>As you were making your way towards the end of the hall, you felt a cold breeze by your nape. It was a strange, yet familiar eerie feeling. <em> Oh no.  </em></p><p> </p><p>When you finally got to the door of the storage room, you couldn’t stop yourself from making a quick turn around. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> No one was there.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Now your mind was just messing with you. Opening the storage room, the door made a soft creak. You grabbed a bottle of beer and--</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “My, you’re quite the generous one, aren’t you, dear?”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You gave a choked up yelp as you turned around, accidentally letting go of the bottle. Before you could flinch at the sound of the bottle crashing on the floor, you saw a faint red light. The bottle became suspended in midair before it could even reach the ground. </p><p> </p><p>Looking up, you saw Alastor who fluttered his eyes open, a red glow lighting up his eyes and the microphone he held. In these situations, a normal person would have been scared. They would’ve screamed in terror. They would’ve cried out for help. <em> But no.  </em></p><p> </p><p>All you could think about was that <em> you were in a dark storage room with Alastor and you could not fucking breathe from holding back the urge to just squeal right then and there.  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You are one fucked up fangirl.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>But, being a fangirl, you knew better than to show your true colors. “I--uhm, uh--Alastor! Wh-What are you...doing here?” </p><p> </p><p>“I was just concerned as to your whereabouts, my dear.” he smirked, showing amusement to your reaction as he looked at you with half-lidded eyes. <em> No.  </em></p><p> </p><p><em> “How fucking dare you? Uhm, excuse me?? That’s illegal?? Don’t give me that look you flawless being??” </em>Constant echoes of these plagued your thoughts, but you did your best to give a genuine, mildly surprised look.</p><p> </p><p>Clearing your throat, you replied as you took the bottle that was in midair. “Husk helped set the table to get a bottle.” You could hear faint static crackling. </p><p> </p><p>“Which brings me back to my question,” he took a step towards you. “Why are you being so...<em> generous </em>, darling? I feel something is amiss.” </p><p> </p><p>Praying he won’t notice your heightened heart rate, you gave a small smile. “I find it crazy, too, you know. But, well, I’m just trying...to do what I think is right...I guess?” </p><p> </p><p>There was a pause, he prolonged his stare into your eyes to see if you would falter. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Stop making this so difficult, Alastor.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The deer demon gave a soft chuckle as he turned around to walk out of the room. “You’re quite the entertaining dame.” </p><p> </p><p>When you saw that he was finally out of earshot, you gave out a heavy sigh of relief. <em> For how long can you keep this up? </em></p><p> </p><p>Walking back to the kitchen, you approached Husk and handed him the bottle. “Thanks.” the feline quickly murmured before he started chugging down the alcohol. Angel simply looked at him with puppy dog eyes, wishing he could have both that ice cold beer, and well, Husk. “Oh, I wish I was that bottle.” he teased Husk, to which he just raised a middle finger in response to the spider demon. </p><p> </p><p>You opened the paper bag that was placed on your table even before their sudden arrival. Not used to living alone, you actually relied on food deliveries from some fast food chains and restaurants that were available--and man, availability was sparse. Ever since the quarantine, a lot of food places had to temporarily close down, which narrows your options. </p><p> </p><p>One of the options was this restaurant who only had family servings of fried chicken. Not having much of a choice, you ordered this earlier thinking you could just heat up the leftovers for breakfast and lunch the next day. Looks like it was just enough for all seven of you for dinner tonight. <em> This was such an ironic “plot-convenience” moment, you almost cringed. Like, what were the odds?  </em></p><p> </p><p>“Hey, (Name). Anything we can help with?” Charlie asked as she made her way to you. Vaggie trailed right behind her. You shook your head. “It’s all good for now. I actually bought too much food earlier, so we have just enough for dinner tonight, I think.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, yeah? Well, what are ya bitches waitin’ for? Let’s eat already so I can fuckin’ get this over with for my liquor.” Angel exclaimed, obviously growing impatient. Charlie and Vaggie looked at each other and couldn’t hold back their chuckles. </p><p> </p><p>“Wow, (Name). Why didn’t we think of the carrot-and-stick method?” Charlie grinned. Maybe they were too strict on the get go. She’s starting to think that maybe it was better to ease them out like this. Vaggie felt conflicted, but couldn’t help but curl her lips upwards. “Well, in this case, beer-and-stick.”</p><p> </p><p>“I guess it proves that sometimes a way to a demon is through his need for alcohol.” you commented playfully. As long as you moderate their liquor intake, you feel it should be fine. </p><p> </p><p>Niffty peered over the table. “Ohh, this actually kind of smells good!” she said as she took a whiff of the fried chicken. So cute. You bent down and smiled at her. “Mind if you call Alastor? Let’s eat dinner.” </p><p> </p><p>“Sure!” she smoothly made her way back to the living room. Everyone else started to take a seat.</p><p> </p><p>When you gave the dinner area another look, you remembered that your table only usually accommodated six people. “Oops, we’re missing a chair. I’ll get one from the living room.” </p><p> </p><p>“No need, dear.” A certain someone said before you heard a snap of a finger. In an instant, another chair materialized right beside yours. You watched as Niffty began to walk towards it, and decided to take the other seat across it, instead. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Which only leaves… </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Alastor simply gave his usual grin. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He’s doing this on purpose.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Brushing it off, you awkwardly walked to your seat and settled down. The red-clad demon followed suit, sitting <em> awfully close </em> beside you. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Does this perfect creature not want me to breathe and eat my goddamn fried chicken in peace? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I hope this is okay? I mean, I don’t know what you guys eat in hell, but uh, this is all we got for now.” you told them apologetically. </p><p> </p><p>Charlie shook her head. “No no, this is great! Thanks for the meal!” This little cinnamon bun. </p><p> </p><p>“It’s...alright, but I’ll grace you with some real cooking next time, my dear.” Alastor added as he showed less enthusiasm for the meal. Look at this bastard complaining like a total food snob, but still blameless in your eyes because he <em> looked like a total snack.  </em></p><p> </p><p><em> “Ugh, why am I so thirsty?” </em>You thought... </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Aloud.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Alastor tilted his head and turned to you. “Well, if you’re so thirsty, have some water!” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You have never been so alarmed in your life.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Fuck. Did you just. Fucking say that.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> --And did he just tell you to have some water?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Here.” Vaggie picked up the pitcher and poured water in your glass. “Ahahah, thanks. Sorry, I’m uh, still kinda not used to...this whole setup, so I forgot to function for a while there hahah!” you nervously said, praying they buy your excuse. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, how funny you are, darling.” Alastor commented before he went back to eat. After your little slip-up, the dinner went uncharacteristically quiet until the deer demon once again broke the ice. </p><p> </p><p>“So, about this virus going around, and the whole quarantine situation…” Alastor began, still looking down at his plate. “How did it escalate?” </p><p> </p><p>You didn’t really think he would take interest in that, but you did remember he mentioned that they had a pandemic during his time. Swallowing your food, you responded. “There are theories on what triggered this new virus, but I can’t really recall much from it. All I know is that there were actually already warning signs of this last year...but the government, much less the people, paid little heed to these warnings.” </p><p> </p><p>It felt sad to think about, and you couldn’t help but frown. “But honestly, this year just had so many awful things happening one after another that we weren’t able to keep track on which is which.”</p><p> </p><p>“We’re sorry to hear that.” Charlie said, starting to feel bad for you. You seemed to already have a lot going on in life and you had to deal with their sudden arrival, too. </p><p> </p><p>You reassured her with a smile. “Thanks, I’m not doing so bad.” You unconsciously began toying with your food with your fork. “I’m just a little upset that a normal person like me.. well, is helpless in a situation like this. The only help I could do right now, is stay home and avoid the virus. I mean, it helps… but at the same time...I just wished this pandemic never even happened. It made me realize that I missed my old life, no matter how mundane it was.”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure about that, my dear?” Alastor asked, tilting his head. “It wouldn’t be wacky nonsense to think that you’d...<em> crave some kind of entertainment.” </em></p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t help but think back to what you thought of earlier.</p><p> </p><p>  <em> “If only I could bring them here instead.”  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He...wasn’t wrong.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You met his gaze. “I...suppose so.” </p><p> </p><p>“Are y’all gonna just fuckin’ eat dinner slower than an ol’ grandma or what?!” Angel blurted out in exasperation. He was totally pissy from wanting that bottle of beer. After everyone finished up their meal, they started filing out of the dinner area. </p><p> </p><p>Angel stood up and had two more arms sprout from his sides once more to quickly grab the plates in a swoop. He almost dropped one, and you squinted at him, reminding him of the condition. Making use of all his hands, he was making good progress with washing the dishes. </p><p> </p><p>You figured to grab his well-deserved bottle from the storage room while he was working on it. On your way to the storage, you heard footsteps behind you. You turned around, thinking (<em> hoping </em>) it was Alastor, but was met with a one-eyed gaze of a slim demon with white hair. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, it’s you.” you greeted. She gave a small smile and walked closer to you whilst rubbing her elbow. “Listen, (Name). We’re really thankful that you took us in...but, well, I would like to warn  you that you shouldn’t...trust Alastor as much, or like, at all.” </p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean?” you asked <em> innocently </em>. </p><p> </p><p>Lowering her voice, she replied. “He’s not just some happy face. When...Alastor manifested in Hell, he was able to topple overlords overnight. He wreaked havoc and carnage throughout Hell, even broadcasting everything he’s done just so everyone knew of his ability. He’s an unpredictable source of danger, a wicked spirit of mystery, and a violent monster of chaos that we didn’t want to risk getting involved with...but…” </p><p> </p><p>She let go of her light grasp on you and stepped back. “Charlie took the risk because of her own principles that maybe even he could change. Which, it is still far from happening right now.”</p><p> </p><p>Sighing, she looked back at you. “We’ll make sure he doesn’t pull anything on you, but you have to keep your guard up, as well. I..I’m not saying this to scare you. You don’t need to worry when we’re here. I just want you to know that he’s something to be wary of. Be careful not to make a deal with him, okay?” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You know.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks, Vaggie, really.” you sincerely told her, appreciative of her concern. “This is a lot to take in. Heck, this whole situation is. I’ll be careful, but do know that I really think of my decisions deeply before I act on it. I hope you’ll have a little faith in me.” </p><p> </p><p>Her smile softened. “There are people like her, after all.” she murmured. You tilted your head. “Hm?” </p><p> </p><p>“It’s nothing.”</p><p> </p><p>“<em> Well, where’s my liquor, toots?! </em>”</p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t hold back your laughter.  “Hold on, hold on! Geez!” </p><p> </p><p>Vaggie rolled her eyes as she listened in on Angel whining again. “Don’t spoil them too much, okay, (Name)?” she chuckled lightly. </p><p> </p><p>“I won’t.” you smiled. She went on ahead to sit with Charlie back in the living room. </p><p> </p><p>Entering the dining area, you were met with a spider demon that had all three pairs of arms crossed. “<em> Ugh, fiiiinally! </em>” he said as he took the beer bottle from you. “Damn, toots, I can’t believe ya made me do all that dirty work--and it’s not even the kind of dirty I like!” </p><p> </p><p>You shook your head in disbelief, but a smile still on you from his remark. “Let’s head back to the living room.” you told him. </p><p> </p><p>When all of them were finally gathered there, you cleared your throat to catch their attention. “Well, it’s getting late...and...so, about the beds…”</p><p> </p><p>They looked at you, waiting for you to continue. “We only have 4 extra rooms...and there’s six of you guys...Given the beds, my parents’ room can accommodate two people in one bed. My older brothers’ room has two beds. My younger sister’s room has a smaller bed. And, well, our guest room has one standard bed…”</p><p> </p><p>“If it’s alright, Vaggie and I can share a bed.” Charlie beamed, enthusiastically giving you a grin. </p><p> </p><p>You nodded. “I think Niffty can take my younger sister’s bed? You seem to fit just right there.” </p><p> </p><p>“Wow, really? Oh, I hope your sister doesn’t mind if I clean the place up a bit!” she giggled, excited to explore a new place to fix up. </p><p> </p><p>Husk started putting two and two together and chills ran up his spine. “Guest r--” Before he could even finish what he was saying, loud static buried his voice. He frowned and tried again. “I said, I’ll take the gu----” He was growling now and took a sharp turn to look at a certain demon. </p><p> </p><p>“You have gotta be fucking kidding me.” He glared at Alastor, then faced you again. “I’ll take the gues-----------fUCK!” </p><p> </p><p>“I would be delighted to take the guest room, my dear. I do appreciate your wonderful hospitality! Haha!” Alastor laughed, playing coy about what he had done. </p><p> </p><p>Angel, who had just gotten off the satisfaction of drinking liquor, started putting things together.</p><p> </p><p>He slicked his hair back and placed a hand under Husk’s chin. “Oh, Husk, baby. It’s just <em> you and me </em> left now, ain’t it? Prepare for the <em> ride of your life </em>~” </p><p> </p><p>If Husk shrieked, he would’ve. He just growled again. “Ah for fuck’s sake! I’d rather sleep on the fuckin’ sofa!” </p><p> </p><p>“Aw, c’mon, boy. Ya scared? I’ll be gentle.” Angel teased. <em> Fuck, your stomach is starting to hurt from holding back the laughter. </em> </p><p> </p><p>You tried to break the tension. “If it helps, the beds are separate from each other, anyways..so..?” Husk gave out grumpy murmurs before rolling his eyes. “Fuckin’ fine--” he turned glare at Angel, who was wide-eyed from giddiness. “--but you better stay the fuck outta my way!” </p><p> </p><p>“Great! Let’s get you guys settled in.” </p><p> </p><p>You led each of them to the rooms. Your parents’ room didn’t really have valuables or anything. Mostly just filled with photographs hung up on the wall. It was alright, you trusted Charlie and Vaggie not to touch anything they shouldn’t. </p><p> </p><p>Niffty was overjoyed when she got to your younger sister’s room. It was quaint, cute, and just her style. There was a lot of stuff to clean up after, but she’s driven by the satisfaction of cleaning, so she was all good. </p><p> </p><p>When you got to your older brothers’ room, there was a bit of a struggle with Angel trying to get his hands on Husk. He tried convincing him to move the beds together. Teased him, and vowed he’d seduce him soon enough with his sexiness. In the end, Husk just ignored him and threatened to kill Angel if he tried anything while he slept. </p><p> </p><p>And then, it was just Alastor. </p><p> </p><p>You awkwardly led him to the guest room, which was actually <em> just across your room </em>. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> To which you just realized, this was very dangerous.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You opened the guest room and gestured for him to head inside. He looked around at the humble space. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to personalize this to his liking, anyways. Turning to you, Alastor bent down to your eye level. </p><p> </p><p>“I bid you goodnight, sweetheart.” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You fucking blushed.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“G-Good night, Alastor.” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You fucking stuttered.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>He raised an eyebrow, his smile growing wider before he straightened himself. He turned around and gently closed the door. </p><p> </p><p>You felt as stiff as a robot as you walked back to your room. As quickly as you could, you opened the door and closed it behind you once you got in. Locking it, you felt your legs turn into jelly. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> It hasn’t even been a whole day.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Plopping down in the comfort of your bed, you sank into the soft mattress. This is really happening. There were so many questions going on in your mind. There were so many fears you were trying to fight from enamoring you. Yet, all you could feel right now was that warmth that spread across your face. <em> It was all his fault </em>. </p><p> </p><p>Just as you were about to slowly drift into the deep sleep you so desperately needed after this...crazy day, you heard something move outside your door. </p><p> </p><p>The air suddenly became colder, your heart started to race. You jumped when you heard repetitive sounds coming from the other side. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Someone was knocking.  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>"Look at the title of the chapter." </p><p>Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think about this chapter! I'd love to hear it--I feel very motivated to write because of it! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. You For Breakfast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You opened the damn door.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi! Thank you so much for reading! Your comments really made my day huhu &lt;3 I was supposed to post this yesterday, but I ended up working really late to meet my deadlines since it's a holiday the next day. ^^; This chapter might have a LOT of things going on, I do hope it's still okay with you guys, ehe. Happy reading! :&gt;</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Just as you were about to slowly drift into the deep sleep you so desperately needed after this...crazy day, you heard something move outside your door. </p><p> </p><p>The air suddenly became colder, your heart started to race. You jumped when you heard repetitive sounds coming from the other side. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Someone was knocking.  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <b>*~*~*~*</b>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>You have a sickening feeling that you just <em> know </em>who that would be. </p><p> </p><p>In a panicked sequence of looking across your <em> impossibly unthinkable room design </em> , fumbling for your phone and scrambling to your feet, you felt you had a hard time trying to figure out <em> what </em> to do--or <em> which one to think of right now.  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Knock. Knock. Knock.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You dashed towards the switch to kill the lights. Turning on your phone’s flashlight, you slowly directed the ray of light to the source of the knocking. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You seriously do not want to open the damn door.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Sighing in defeat, you turned the knob and opened the door as slowly as you could. </p><p> </p><p>Peering through space just enough for you to see who’s outside, you softly spoke, “Y-Yes..?”</p><p> </p><p>“My apologies for keeping you up, dear.” Alastor looked down to meet your eyes. “I was just...curious…” his eyes began to trail to the darkness of your room, squinting as if trying to see anything inside. <em> Oh fuck no, you will not let him. </em></p><p> </p><p>In the quickest way you’ve ever done, you stepped out and closed the door behind your back. “Yes? I, uhm--go on?” You blurted out in an attempt to bring his gaze back to you--to which he did. </p><p> </p><p>“Yes, well, I was curious as to where those stairs led. I could see light cast down on the steps.” he told you, a tinge of amusement in his tone as he pointed at the stairs a foot away from your rooms. You stepped towards the flight of stairs. “Oh, this leads up to the rooftop. You, uhm, can check it out if you like?” </p><p> </p><p>“Care to indulge me with your company, darling?” he gave you a smile, holding out his arm as if to escort you. <em> This is so fucking suspicious. Don’t say yes. You could get fucking murdered. Just say no. </em></p><p> </p><p>You unconsciously linked your arm with his. “Sure.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You fucking idiot.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Your home was fairly quiet, with not much sound other than your footsteps in sync with the demon you were walking up with. And, well, your stupid heart that won’t stop beating so hard you swear it’s bound to burst out of you. </p><p> </p><p>When you finally opened the glass door to the rooftop, you couldn’t help but redirect your attention to the night sky. </p><p> </p><p>It was <em> breathtaking. </em></p><p> </p><p>The moon was full, brightly shining down soft light on you two. The stars shimmered like glitters scattered across the night sky. The quarantine caused many things, but one thing you couldn’t deny, was that it reduced the pollution in your area. The air was crisper, the sky was clearer, and it felt...so...<em> peaceful.  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Too peaceful.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You shifted your gaze to Alastor, who was also softly gazing at the sky. The gentle breeze just tenderly swaying his red and black locks, the moonlight just letting you see him well enough through the darkness of this late evening. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> He...looked different.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>His gaze instantly returned yours through the corners of his eyes, startling you to let go of his arm. “Excuse me for this, but it has been...quite a long while since I’ve seen this old sky.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, right...is it, uhm, that different in...Hell?” You asked, avoiding his gaze. Based on what you’ve watched from the pilot episode, you have some sort of idea on the dark, red, and dreary skies that glowered over them. However, you would have to pretend you have no idea. </p><p> </p><p>Alastor gave a long hum. “The skies of Hell were desolate and scorching, my dear. A perfect reminder to the scum of the world that they’re sentenced to eternal damnation!” he responded humorously, finding joy in the sinners’ obvious misfortune. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh.” </p><p> </p><p>It was hard for you to figure out how to respond to his impeccably dark humor just after you saw him softly looking at the stars. It was a frustrating display of contradicting personas. There were some parts of you that were sure that “Alastor was this” and “Alastor was that”--but in reality, you only knew a speck of the expanse creature of mystery that is Alastor. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> This made him all the more dangerous.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>A shiver crept up your spine. Fear started to sink in, and you could feel yourself breathing heavier. It’s as if someone pulled the fire alarm of your instincts, causing your insides to have a flurry of mental panic. </p><p> </p><p>“Dear,” he began to laugh...darkly. His microphone suddenly materialized in his grasp. You could hear that familiar crackle of static. “<em> You’re starting to act like a normal human being all of a sudden. </em>”</p><p> </p><p>“I--I <em> am </em>a normal human being…” you answered with a slight tremble you weren’t able to conceal. </p><p> </p><p>Alastor shook his head. His smile continued to grow as you stepped back and accidentally fell on your bottom. “What normal human being would be <em> so careless </em> and <em> irrational </em> enough to just take in <em> demons from Hell </em>?”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s--I…” <em> What are you supposed to answer? You wanted to run. You wanted to run, but at the same time, you didn’t want to. You were an idiot through and through.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Alastor was beginning to grow darker, shadows beginning to envelope him and...you. You gave out a quick huff and forced yourself to stand up. “<em> So what?” </em> you shot back at him. <em> This is not the time to be a smartass, (Name)! </em></p><p> </p><p>Raising an eyebrow, Alastor gave another laugh. “Darling, are you <em> looking for a death wish? </em> Is that why you just let <em> loathsome sinners like us stay? My, we could have taken your life without looking back! </em>”</p><p> </p><p>Looking straight into his eyes, which had already glowed and appeared as radio dials, you unconsciously glared at him. “<em> Will you? </em>”</p><p> </p><p>Bringing his hand towards you, he lifted your chin with a single finger, with its sharpness akin to claws--one wrong move and you’d, well, you don’t want to find out. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “It would be a shame to lose such a fine source of entertainment.” </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>In a blink of an eye, Alastor reverted back, still holding up your chin with his finger. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>He parted his lips for a moment before closing it again. You aren’t aware of this yet, but he saw that look on your face. <em> He saw that look on your face </em>. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>You turned away and distanced yourself from him. Finally starting to breathe a little better, you frowned. “Did...did you really have to scare me like that? Seriously.”</p><p> </p><p>“How else will I get to see more of you, sweetheart?” Alastor answered, a smug look on his face.  Feeling playful, you replied, “I could think of other ways.” </p><p> </p><p>“What was that?”<br/><br/></p><p>“Nothing.” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>You sat down on a bench, bringing your knees to your chest and enveloping them in  your arms. “Look, Alastor. I really am just a normal human being. I’m too painfully normal, to be honest. Maybe I<em> am </em> being careless. Maybe I <em> am </em> making a mistake.”</p><p> </p><p>“But maybe the point of me being here,” you gestured around yourself before looking back at him. “Is for me to figure out why I’m here in the first place. And, well, the only way for me to find out if that’s ‘for me to take in a couple of demons from Hell’, is for me to actually do it.”</p><p> </p><p>Alastor helped himself to sit beside you. “You’re a silly creature, aren’t you?” </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, well, I probably would’ve died tonight if I wasn’t, right?” you sighed, if only that was just a joke. </p><p> </p><p>The deer demon simply paused and said a familiar, slow “...Maybe.” You couldn’t help but roll your eyes. <em> Your obsession for this bastard is going to be the death of you, and you hoped it was just figuratively and not literally.  </em></p><p> </p><p>You saw him bring his gaze up towards the night sky once more. Neither of you spoke for a good while. <em> This was so fucked up </em> . He literally almost tried to fucking murder you earlier if you weren’t so “entertaining”. You should’ve made a run for it earlier. You should’ve just went to sleep and pretended not to hear. <em> You should not have opened that damn door </em>. </p><p> </p><p>And yet, here you were. </p><p> </p><p>Staring at this dangerous demon that had such an <em> insane amount of charisma </em> that you just <em> can’t </em> bring yourself to stop. <em> Why did he have to be so...perfect? This is crazy? How dare this magnificent creature that you never thought would be real---become real? </em></p><p> </p><p>Clearing his throat, Alastor stood up and faced you. Letting his microphone disappear, he held out his hand to help you stand, which you almost instinctively grabbed onto. With a wider grin, he spoke, “Well, my dear…”</p><p> </p><p>You straightened yourself up, dusting off your clothes with your free hand. Alastor tightened his grip on you to get your attention. “While I am finding myself to enjoy your fanciful company, I must not keep a dame such as yourself away from her beauty sleep.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Oh, does he really think you’d be able to sleep after all this?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“N--Y..Yeah, it’s uhm, getting really late…” you decided to agree. He began leading you both down the stairs; the light, yet hollow sounds the two of you made on each wooden step faintly echoed. </p><p> </p><p>When you arrived back at the door of the guest room, you let go of his arm. “You should sleep now, too.” </p><p> </p><p>Alastor gave a light chuckle and slightly bent down to give a small bow. “I truly bid you goodnight this time, darling.”</p><p> </p><p>“You better.” You responded with a small smile. “Good night.” At that, he entered the room and closed the door behind him. </p><p> </p><p>Turning around, you went towards your door to do the same-- as quickly as you could, because you can never be too sure. When you heard the click your lock made, you felt a wave of security wash over you. Switching on the lights, you scanned your room. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> These really have to go (for now), before you dig your grave any deeper.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You started carefully peeling off the Alastor posters plastered all over your bedroom walls. Carefully rolling them up, you decided to hide them safely inside one of your closets. Gathering your Alastor pillows and plushies and giving them one last hug, you gently placed them beside your rolled up posters. </p><p> </p><p>Your shirts that were once hung up on display were folded up and placed at the farther back of your other pile of clothes inside your drawers. The rest of the merch you’ve collected from all the conventions you attended, were placed inside another drawer. “Welp, that’s all of it.” you thought to yourself. </p><p> </p><p>A yawn escaped you, your eyelids beginning to grow heavy. You switched off the lights, walked back to your bed and plopped back on it. Earlier, you thought you would’ve been too overwhelmed to sleep after everything else that happened...but the intensity of tonight’s events counteracted it and just gave you fatigue instead. </p><p> </p><p><em> This quarantine was starting to take the life out of you </em>, and it wasn’t in the way you initially thought it would. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Morning arrived and you were woken up by the faint, but enticing smell of bacon. You were leaning to your side, hugging a plain white pillow. <em> You miss your Alastor pillows already.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Rubbing your eyes, you groggily got up. You were never really the morning person. Squinting at your phone, you checked the time. <em> 7:30AM </em> ? <em> Who the hell would get up this early? </em> On a <em> Sunday?  </em></p><p> </p><p>You groaned as you picked up your phone and placed it in your pocket along with your keys. You were still very much sleepy, especially given how late you stayed up last night. However, it seems that someone might be cooking downstairs, and you had to keep an eye on that one. </p><p> </p><p>Locking your room before you left for the stairs, you looked at the doors of the other rooms. It was so strange to think that these rooms that were once for your family, now accommodate actual demons straight from Hell. </p><p> </p><p>As you made your way downstairs, you could faintly hear the sizzle of something being fried. The scent was divine. You’ve been living off on cup noodles and cereal for breakfast ever since the quarantine began. It’s not that you didn’t have anything in your fridge, you actually did. It’s just that, it was usually your mother who did the cooking, and you were just really too lazy and sleepy in the morning to make a proper meal. </p><p> </p><p>Upon entering the kitchen, you saw a tall, slender figure clad in red, an apron’s ribbon tied to the person’s back. As your gaze trailed up to the back of the person’s head--you felt your heart jolt you. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Alastor with his hair tied up.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Your eyes widened, unable to tear your gaze away from his exposed nape. If your stare could melt, he would probably turn into a puddle right now. You could just stare at this wonderful view forever. </p><p> </p><p>“I do believe it would be best for you to take a seat, my dear. I’m almost done cooking.” Alastor calmly called out, a fair opposite of your flustered disposition. <em> How long has he known that you were there?  </em></p><p> </p><p>Almost tripping over, you clumsily walked over to the table and took a seat. There was already a plate of warm toast at the center. The deer demon spun around and placed a hefty plate of eggs, sausages and bacon in front of you. “Here you are, sweetheart. Anything else you would like for breakfast?”</p><p> </p><p>“You.” </p><p> </p><p>Even Alastor took a sharp turn to look at you. <em> Fucking hell, (Name) you idiot. </em>“You--youuuuu already did a great job with, er uhm, cooking so I, uh, I’m good.”  you frantically shook your head and looked back down on your plate. “Sorry, I’m, uhm, not really a morning person.” </p><p> </p><p>“It appears so.” he replied, taking a seat across you, elbows placed on the table and hands placed on both cheeks. He was grinning at you. </p><p> </p><p>You were about to take a bite of a piece of bacon that was on your plate, when you suddenly stopped and pointed the fork at him. “You didn’t do anything to the food, did you?” </p><p> </p><p>“I did nothing but exhibit my mother’s teachings, my dear.” he chuckled. Ah well, if you were going to die from food, at least it’d be from Alastor’s cooking. <em> You’re so dumb. </em> Deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt, you took a bite. <em> The bacon was so scrumptious. </em>It’s been so long since you’ve had a proper breakfast, you could feel your body thank yourself for finally showing it some mercy. You took one bite after another. You didn’t really feel anything other than excitement to eat another bite. </p><p> </p><p>You took a sip of water to swallow down your food. You turned to Alastor. “Your mother must have been a really great cook and mentor, then! This is really good!” </p><p> </p><p>“Indeed, she was! One of the greatest in New Orleans back in the day, I must say!” he proudly stated, his smile looked...genuine for a split-second. Or maybe that was just you, you can’t really tell yet. It’s impossible not to smile when Alastor is acting like this. </p><p> </p><p>Placing your utensils down, you couldn’t help but ask. “Was...your mother with you--in Hell, too..?” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, no no no no. She went straight to heaven, I’m sure.” Alastor told you firmly. You weren’t sure how to respond to that. Before you could find words to say, Alastor stood up and picked up your plate, bringing it to the sink. </p><p> </p><p>You stood up, as well. “I’ll, uhm, wash the dishes. Thanks for the meal.” He simply nodded. At that, a smaller demon with bright pink hair rushed over to you two. Her eyes shined. “Ohh! We already have breakfast! Gosh, these look really good! I’ll wake up the others!” Niffty exclaimed excitedly, already rushing up the stairs before you could say anything. </p><p> </p><p>While you were washing the dishes, you heard footsteps of those coming down the stairs. Yawning and groaning became more audible as they made their way inside the dining area. Niffty already rushed over to her seat and began to chow down. </p><p> </p><p>“Good morning, (Name)!” You heard Charlie greet you, causing you to turn around with a sponge in hand. Her smile was as bright as always. “Good morning.” you smiled, watching Charlie lead Vaggie to their seats, Husk and Angel lazily trailing behind them. </p><p> </p><p>The latter two didn’t spare you a glance, they were too pissed off early in the morning. “Any reason why you two are like this so early?” you tried asking. </p><p> </p><p>“Why don’tcha ask this dumb bitch?!” Husk growled, directing a glare at the effeminate spider demon. </p><p> </p><p>Angel seemed pissed off, as well, but decided to avenge himself with something that would piss Husk more. “Oohh, Husk, baby! Do you really want them to find out what we did <em> all night long </em>?” Angel asked teasingly, tainting the last few words as a sexual innuendo. </p><p> </p><p>Charlie gasped. “You two? Really?” Angel wiggled his eyebrows, much to Husk’s annoyance. </p><p> </p><p>“<em> Hell </em> , <em> no </em>. Not like that! Ugh, this stupid bitch wouldn’t stop being fuckin’ annoying and all up my fuckin’ space last night.” Husk grit his teeth. Angel just rolled his eyes. “It’s your loss, schnookums.” the spider said before sashaying away towards a seat. </p><p> </p><p>Feeling bad for the feline, Charlie tried to talk some sense into the spider. “Angel, that’s not okay to do…”</p><p> </p><p>“What?” Angel asked, folding his arms and plopping down on a seat beside Charlie. “Isn’t tryna to give someone a li’l bit of <em> lovin’ </em>a ‘redeeming quality’?” he defended, making air quotes as he mentioned the last two words. </p><p> </p><p>You tilted your head as you were listening in to the conversation, your back against the kitchen counter after setting the washed plates back in the cupboard. “Redeeming quality?” you asked aloud. You wondered if they would keep the Hotel idea from you. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Although, with Charlie’s eyes sparkling as you asked, you already had a hunch she would spill.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Yes!” she exclaimed, a hand raised with a forkful of bacon. “We’re actually running a hotel that’s going to rehabilitate sinners! To redeem them so they can ‘check out’ into Heaven!” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, really? You can do that?” you inquired, despite that you already had some idea. Charlie nodded enthusiastically. Vaggie gave her a concerned look. “Ehe...well, it’s still a work in progress--and Angel’s our first guest!” </p><p> </p><p>Your gaze shifted towards Angel, who seemed to defer from eating the bacon and golfed down the eggs and toast, instead. You couldn’t help but say it. “Huh, then you really might end up as an ‘Angel’ from heaven, after all.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oho, babe.” Angel smirked at you. “I’d be the sexiest angel there is if that fuckin’ fever dream these broads have ever happened--which, never will!” he laughed, pointing at Charlie and Vaggie. </p><p> </p><p>Vaggie couldn’t bear to listen to him much longer as she threatened to stab Angel with a fork. “If you have nothing good to say, then shut the fuck up. The hotel is not a fucking joke!”</p><p> </p><p>“There appears to be some sort of commotion here.” Alastor commented as he entered the dining area. Vaggie didn’t like Alastor either, but she gave a rare response. “Angel won’t shut up.” </p><p> </p><p>“Shall we make him, how you say, ‘shut up’ <em> for good </em>?” Alastor grinned wider, positioning his hand as if he was going to snap his fingers any moment. Before tensions would rise even further, you stepped in. “Okay, break it up, you guys. It hasn’t even reached midday yet, c’mon.” </p><p> </p><p>“So we would have to resume this by noon?” Alastor asked playfully. You shook your head. “I’d rather you guys not resume it at all. Just eat your breakfast, okay?” </p><p> </p><p>They all grumbled and gave up on it, finishing up their food. You decided to go to the living room to seek the comfort of your sofa. You opened your phone and idly went through it. Despite having the wonders of social media before you, you could not for the life of you, stop looking at a certain someone from your peripheral vision. </p><p> </p><p>Alastor was aimlessly walking around your living room, looking through the photos hung up on your wall. He hummed as he checked out the photographs on the frames, along with the little trinkets on your shelves. <em> He’s not even doing anything special and you still find him hot. You swear, this fangirling of yours is a disease.  </em></p><p> </p><p>You watched him walk around until he disappeared into the kitchen, away from your view. You sighed. This whole situation still feels like a surreal trainwreck, but your inner fangirl still thanks you for taking one for the team just to bask in the existence and presence of your beloved deer demon. </p><p> </p><p>“So uh, you’ve got the hots for Smiles, huh?” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, <em> definitely. </em>” </p><p> </p><p>Your heart stopped. </p><p> </p><p>Turning to the spider demon whom you didn’t notice was already beside you, you dropped your jaw in disbelief. He was smirking at you. The fact you accidentally gave him a straight answer turned you into a flustered mess, instinctively making you grab a throw pillow to hide your face. “You...You didn’t hear that.” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Oh, I think I did, toots.”  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Reader, you thirsty idiot. Hahahah!</p><p>Thanks for reading! &lt;3 Do let me know your comments! Which parts did you like? Notice anything amiss? Let me know &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Where's My Insecticide?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for your support! Your comments really made my day :") I hope you enjoy! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So uh, you’ve got the hots for Smiles, huh?” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, <em> definitely. </em>” </p><p> </p><p>Your heart stopped. </p><p> </p><p>Turning to the spider demon whom you didn’t notice was already beside you, you dropped your jaw in disbelief. He was smirking at you. The fact you accidentally gave him a straight answer turned you into a flustered mess, instinctively making you grab a throw pillow to hide your face. </p><p> </p><p>“You...You didn’t hear that.” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Oh, I think I did, toots.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p> *~*~*~*</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Of all the godforsaken demons to have found out, it just <em> had </em>to be Angel. </p><p> </p><p>You lowered your pillow enough to peek through and see the effeminate arachnid’s shit-eating smirk. <em> You just know that look on this motherfucker means bad news. </em> Sighing, you moved closer and whispered, “What...even made you think that I…”</p><p> </p><p>“Ha! Oh, please! I’ve been in the biz long enough to know yer fuckin’ thirsty for--mmhmpp!” He was so loud, you panicked and muffled him with your hand before he could finish his damn sentence. “ssSSSHHHHH!” you hushed him, your eyes darting to and from Angel and the door to the kitchen. </p><p> </p><p>Using his four arms, Angel pried you off of him. “Geez, toots, fer cryin’ out loud. Fuckin’ relax, will ya?” </p><p> </p><p>“How am I gonna relax?? What if someone hears?? What if <em> he </em> hears??” You couldn’t help but cover your already reddened face with your hands. The frustration in your hushed, yet high pitched whisper almost made Angel feel sorry for you. <em> Almost. </em></p><p> </p><p>Crossing his upper arms and placing his lower ones on his hips, he laughed. “It doesn’t even fuckin’ matter, you li’l bitch. That bastard’s not gonna give a <em> shit </em> about how ya feel unless it’s fuckin’ <em> fear </em>. No one here gives a damn.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know.” You answered softly. His words made your heart sink, causing you to limply place your pillow onto your lap. You knew. Who were you to any of them, anyways? You were just a nobody who just so happened to be conveniently there for their needs. This whole thing is just some sort of temporary event that they’re just gonna end up forgetting when they finally go back to Hell. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> They’re gonna have to go back to Hell one way or another. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You sunk lower into the plush cushioning of your sofa. “I’m not expecting anything, Angel. I’ll only be watching from afar.” <em> Just like you always did when they were merely on the other side of the screen.  </em></p><p> </p><p>“Aw, shucks. I kinda thought ya’d still try tappin’ that Strawberry Pimp’s ass.” he teased, laughing at the thought. “And, y’know,” he dragged a thumb across his neck. “Get fuckin’ murdered for it. Hah!”</p><p> </p><p>You placed a finger to your mouth and pleaded for him to lower his voice with a hush. “I’m not <em> that </em> stupid, Angel. I’m not gonna tap--” you immediately stopped, a severe blush spread across your face from the thought of...you...and...Alastor…. <em> doing such things. </em></p><p> </p><p>Angel felt amused by this innocent display. With one hand on his cheek, and the rest pointing at your face, he tried holding back his laughter. “Y’know, I don’t even need to do anythin’, your fuckin’ face is already a deadass giveaway. Yer a shitty open book, it’s<em> pathetic </em>!” </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, yeah. I know. <em> I know. </em>” You already knew how much of a hopeless fangirl you were. The mere fact that you accepted them here, for starters. Sure, you wanted to be a ‘good person’ and let them stay here, but you can’t deny what Alastor said. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “It wouldn’t be wacky nonsense to think that you’d...crave some kind of entertainment.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You don’t really want to come into terms with this, but you knew. <em> You were selfish. </em>This whole thing is basically all your selfish thoughts and desires that suddenly materialized. The days were becoming so slow, you were alone and under self-quarantine. Having them here might be dangerous as fuck, but you’re not going to deny that you wanted this self-indulgent ride laced with delight, desire--and hell, even desolation. </p><p> </p><p><em> You asked for this </em>.</p><p> </p><p>This might blow over as soon as it even began, but that’s the whole reason you just want to bask in the whole incident while you still could. Now that Angel knew how you felt, you worried if it would affect your secret atlantis. You wondered what would happen if the others found out. And god forbid, if <em> he </em> found out <em> .  </em></p><p> </p><p>You don’t think you’d live long enough to process their reactions if it ever happened. </p><p> </p><p>Looking away from the spider demon, you softly asked, “Can you <em> please </em>just keep this thing between us?” </p><p> </p><p>“Aww, nah babe,” He scooched closer to you, sparing you some kind of mercy from his loud mouth by giving a quiet, yet more threatening answer. “It’s gonna take a lot more than your pathetic ‘please’, y’know.” </p><p> </p><p>Raising an eyebrow, you asked him, “What do you want?” You knew this was coming. The moment you got snuffed out, you just knew he’d use this against you. </p><p> </p><p>“Gimme the key, toots.” </p><p> </p><p>Your hands immediately shot down to your pocket in a protective stance. He smirked at you. Going through the house a little earlier, he actually attempted to sneak a bottle without having to do any of the housework. Although, when he tried opening the door to the storage room, he realized it was locked---and of course, you obviously had the key. </p><p> </p><p>Disliking every bit of this, you frowned. “C’mon, Angel. I can’t just let you get drunk in here--and our beer supply is already limited as it is.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ugh, don’t be such a li’l bitch ‘bout it. I swear, I ain’t gonna just get myself wasted. I just wanna get myself some extra liquor before bed, is all.” Angel reasoned, giving you a pout. Seriously, you liked Angel as the character, but being cornered by him in real life like this makes you really frustrated and uncomfortable. </p><p> </p><p>Your eyes darted towards the kitchen door and the stairs, making sure no one was there before you continued in the softest voice you could. “Make sure no one ever sees you. Got it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Gotcha~” Angel replied in a smooth, teasing voice. You separated the storage room key from your key ring and slowly handed it to the arachnid by sliding it over to his side of the sofa. His eyes shined, which was not really the greatest sign, as you could just imagine him abusing the privilege. </p><p> </p><p>Subtly placing the key in his pocket, Angel grinned at you. “So uh, why<em> him </em>, again?”</p><p> </p><p>“Wh--” you looked at the kitchen door again, it seems they’re still in there. Angel rolled his eyes at your short-lived panic. You sighed. “I...I don’t know. I just...it’s uhm, weird.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, well, it really is weird, if ya ask me.” Angel stretched out his arms and legs, still seated. “I mean, I woulda got how ya felt if you just wanted to suck his dick, but I’m guessin’ yer feeling somethin’ more than that.’”</p><p> </p><p>If humans could explode from the sheer amount of embarrassment they feel in mere minutes, you would’ve set off right then and there. “D--Wh--I...Angel!” you said, still forcing yourself to lower your voice so the others in the kitchen won’t notice. “It’s...it’s complicated.” You were as bright red as Alastor’s hair again. You squinted at him, thinking of how this arachnid asshole  would look if you had your insecticide within range. </p><p> </p><p>“Well, fuck. ‘Course it is. Ya just met the guy yesterday. He’s a fuckin’ overlord back in Hell. We saw ‘im take out this edgy snake,” he raised a hand and quickly clenched it, as if he was crushing something. “BAM! Just like that!” he accidentally said aloud, causing you to hush him again. </p><p> </p><p><em> You know. You’ve watched that scene. It was the ending of the pilot, where Alastor used his powers against Sir Pentious. </em> Trying to keep up your innocent facade, you furrowed your brows. “Oh..?” As you were recalling the scene, however, your mind began to fuck you up by flashing those wonderful closeup scenes on Alastor as he was using his powers. <em> Oh, yes. </em></p><p> </p><p>Angel saw that transition in your expression. You weren’t scared or freaked out or threatened or intimidated like he expected you to be. <em> No. You looked like you were fuckin’ into it.  </em></p><p> </p><p>“Oho, toots. Ya into that kink, ya nasty?” The spider squinted at you,obviously judging. You were taken aback by what he said, yet you couldn’t help but chuckle at his remark. “Oh ha ha. How dare you--of all people, tell me that.”</p><p> </p><p>Laughing at the irony, Angel shook his head playfully in his defense. “Aw, no, babe. I have <em> standards </em>, y’know.” His gaze shifted back to the kitchen door as Husk emerged from it. </p><p> </p><p>The casino-themed feline lazily walked over you two, but directed his gaze towards you. “Beer.” he said, his hand held out. Readjusting yourself on the sofa, you knit your brows and answered, “Uh...it’s still morning…?” </p><p> </p><p>“Did I fuckin’ stutter, kid?” </p><p> </p><p>His reply threw you off, but at the same time, you knew it was very him. You literally facepalmed, then softly laughed. “Seriously? Hahah...Alright.” Reaching for your pocket, you grabbed your key ring and tossed over to Angel Dust. “Here, uhm, Angel.” </p><p> </p><p>“Uh, yeah, I’mma get some for myself, too.” Angel went along, remembering that no one should know about your agreement. Husk stepped back, against the fact that Angel was the one getting the beer, the spider didn’t do anything of use. </p><p> </p><p>The feline raised his hand to halt the spider. “Woah, woah. Hold on, you did jack shit earlier!” </p><p> </p><p>“I--Wh--Whaddya mean? I uh,” Angel turned to you in a silent plea for help. Well, not really a plea for help. It’s gonna go downhill for you, too, if things went south for him. Stepping in, you waved your hands to catch Husk’s attention. “Angel, uh,  helped me clean up here earlier...while you guys were at the kitchen...”</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, how dare you, Huskie.” Angel pinched Husk’s cheek, earning a growl from the cat demon. Fluttering his eyes in a seductive manner, Angel continued, “If ya wanted me to give ya some <em> attention </em>, ya could just say so~” </p><p> </p><p>Prying away from Angel’s grasp, Husk scowled and raised a middle finger up at him. “Just fuckin’ get the booze.” </p><p> </p><p>Feeling victorious, Angel blew Husk a kiss before he sauntered off to the storage room. </p><p> </p><p>You heard Husk audibly grumbling before he settled on sitting on the floor, not really giving a damn about the other chairs he could’ve sat on. Soon enough, Charlie, Vaggie, Niffty and Alastor filed out of the kitchen and went over to the living room. </p><p> </p><p>“Thanks for the meal, (Name)!” Charlie beamed at you, sitting down on one of the sofas. Vaggie gave a small nod before she sat beside her girlfriend. However, you could not accept her words of gratitude. You shook your head. “Oh no, don’t thank me. <em> Alastor </em> was the one who cooked.” </p><p> </p><p>“wHAT??” Vaggie immediately stood up from her seat and shot a glare at the deer demon, who was making his way to...your side, taking the spot where Angel was seated earlier. He laughed, “Worry not, my dear. I am not some lowlife that would taint good food!”</p><p> </p><p>“C’mon, Vaggie, it’s alright. The food was great, so it’s all good!” Charlie reasoned, rubbing her partner’s arm in an attempt to calm her down. Vaggie may come off as “overprotective” towards many, but you absolutely see no problem in it, because they’ve literally dealt with demons all their lives--and someone poisoning the food would not be far from possible when it came to denizens of Hell. Eventually, she crossed her arms, gave in and just sat back down with Charlie. </p><p> </p><p>Wanting to change the subject, Charlie faced Alastor. “Hey, Al, should we try if we can open a portal back to Hell again?” </p><p> </p><p>“Sure, my dear.” Alastor stood up and summoned his microphone once more, a red glow began to light up the living room. You...didn’t really want to look. </p><p> </p><p>You knew that they’d jump back as soon as they get access to Hell again. You knew that this whole fever dream’s gonna end someday. You knew...but you just wished you would have more time. You felt like hitting yourself that moment, wanting to shake away the insensitive thoughts you had. </p><p> </p><p>They have lives back in Hell--well, afterlives, but you get the gist of it. Charlie has a hotel to run, an entire kingdom to someday rule over. Every one else had their own thing going on, their own plans--all of which did not include you, and never would.  Yet, you cannot help but feel it. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You were so, so selfish.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Charlie stood up and raised her hands, as well. The red glow began to grow stronger...but still, it was all for naught. The pale, blonde demon visibly looked disappointed, but shrugged it off quickly. “Ah, well. Maybe we just need more time!”</p><p> </p><p>“Apparently so, hahaha!” Alastor agreed, making light of the situation with a laugh. <em> They still can’t open a portal </em>. You should feel sorry for them. You are. You are. You think. You… no...You’re actually relieved. The breath you were holding earlier was released in a small, relieved huff, making it soft enough to be unnoticeable. </p><p> </p><p>Yet, from the corner of your eyes, you realized that Alastor turned to you at that very moment. </p><p> </p><p>You felt like holding your breath again, but you were caught off guard when Alastor pulled you close to him, his arm over your shoulder. “How about we get to know our charming human host?” He gave you his usual smiles, and honestly you felt like you wanted to just <em> melt in his arms </em>, like, you didn’t want to move a millimeter in fear that any movement would result in him pulling away from you. </p><p> </p><p>A shiver went up your spine when you heard him continue, “My, maybe it could lead us to an answer to why we’re here!” </p><p> </p><p>“H-How does that, uhm, add up? Ahahah…” you asked nervously, not wanting to meet his (<em> beautiful </em>) eyes. Where is he trying to go with this? You were honestly scared as to where the discussion would deviate to. You could see Angel entering the living room with two bottles of beer, smirking at the sight of you that close to Alastor.</p><p> </p><p>Letting his arm fall back to his side, Alastor tilted his head as he responded. “Well, there might be some reason as to why, of all places, we ended up at your residence. Do you think it was a coincidence that we met you?”</p><p> </p><p>You felt lost in his eyes, looking up at him in this proximity is starting to let your rationalities become blurred, slowly removing filters in the mechanisms of your brain that pertained to your speaking. “<em> No, I think we’re destined... </em>” you trailed dreamily until you heard someone choke on their drink. </p><p> </p><p>Angel, catching everyone’s attention as he coughed, gave you a split-second “what the fuck are you doing” look. You felt yourself jolt awake from your fangirl trance and immediately continued. “--Destined to meet! Like, uhm, I think I’m the only one ridiculous enough to be somehow chill with...uhm, all this.” You made awkward gestures from yourself to the others, honestly you didn’t know where these hands should go. <em> In Alastor’s hands, you wished.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Alastor gave another static-filtered laugh, “I quite understand what you mean! Other humans might have just...mysteriously disappeared not even a day upon our arrival!” </p><p> </p><p>“Ahahah...right…” You glanced over to Angel, who seemed to be relieved that the discussion didn’t turn horribly wrong for you because of your fucked up fangirl mannerisms. You gave him an apologetic look, to which he just responded with a squint. <em> Why are you so hopeless, he wonders. You wonder, too.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Clearing your throat, you awkwardly spoke up again. “I’m...I’m just a normal working adult in her twenties ahaha. I don’t really think there’s anything interesting about me.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, so you already work!” Charlie pointed out with a smile. You nodded, appreciative of her enthusiasm. “Yeah, I work for an advertising agency.” </p><p> </p><p>“Whaddya advertise? Fuckin’ porno mags and sex toys?” Angel teased, wiggling his eyebrows at the thought. You rolled your eyes. “I can only hope that I wouldn’t need to deal with those kinds of clients.” you ended up laughing at the realization that it was actually possible that you’d have to work so professionally on those fields of industry should it be assigned to you.</p><p> </p><p>“Most of the clients I handle are restaurants and hotels.” You added, looking at Charlie as you mentioned something relevant to her. It was relevant, indeed. She started bouncing up and down. “Really?! If you have time, maybe you can help us figure out how we’d advertise our hotel!!” </p><p> </p><p>You remembered that Charlie filled you in on her passion project before. “A hotel in Hell that aims to rehabilitate sinners for redemption, huh?” You cupped your chin as you began to think of ways to help advertise it. Smiling at Charlie, you replied, “It’s definitely not something I’ve done before, but I can think of some ways to help.” </p><p> </p><p>“Ooohhh! That would be aMAZING!” the princess began massaging her cheeks from grinning in excitement. Vaggie was touched that you would offer to help, it was definitely something they needed, especially after their little incident at the TV interview, and with Angel involving himself in a turf war. “Thanks, (Name).” </p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>The day had gone on and the rest of you scattered around the house. Husk fell asleep on the floor, his bottle from beer earlier this morning in his grasp. Angel was leisurely scrolling through Netflix on your TV, particularly checking out the shows that had steamy plotlines and undeniably attractive, shirtless men on the thumbnails. It was a whole lot better than the crummy news reports that bored him enough to feel like he’d die <em> again </em>. </p><p>Charlie attempted calling her contacts using her phone, but it was pretty useless as it really would not connect. Vaggie was soothing the blonde demon by gently running her thumb in circles on her palm. </p><p> </p><p>Upon entering the kitchen, you saw Niffty rearranging your plates and silverware in a more proper manner, as Husk just shoved them in the cupboard and drawers. He didn’t break it, sure, but he sure didn’t care if it was placed back decently. </p><p> </p><p>And then, it sort of hit you---where’s Alastor?</p><p> </p><p>You made your way upstairs. The guest room’s door was open, but it seemed like no one was there. You felt a breeze pass by you, causing you to look up the stairs. The door to the rooftop was open. </p><p> </p><p>Gently making your way up the stairs, you began to feel the warmth of the afternoon sun. You scanned around the rooftop until you found a certain red-haired deer demon seated on the bench. </p><p> </p><p>Stepping closer, your eyes went wide with the sight in front of you. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Alastor taking a nap.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>These encounters you were getting with Alastor are <em> so self-indulgent </em>, you thank whatever unknown fangirl goddess there is out there that would bless you with such an opportunity to bask in the precious scene that is Alastor taking a nap on your own rooftop bench, his hands entwined together, placed atop his lap, while his head rested on his collar, eyes closed. </p><p> </p><p><em> This is so illegal. He’s literally the definition of perfection. </em> You were tempted to take a picture of him with your phone. Can you? Can you? You want to, but you have a bad feeling coming your way if you got caught doing so. Instead, you did something even dumber, you unconsciously stepped closer to the resting demon, unable to stop yourself from trying to engrave this image of him in your mind--well, until his eyes suddenly fluttered open. <em> You fucking squeaked in surprise.  </em></p><p> </p><p>“Dear,” he calmly began, which almost relieved you, but then suddenly sent your heart rate off the charts when he suddenly turned the tables. In one swoop, <em> you </em> were suddenly on the bench, with <em> Alastor above you, trapping you in between his arms.  </em></p><p> </p><p>He chuckled, “I believe it is rather rude for a dame to sneak up on a lad in such a vulnerable position.” Your blush came crashing on your face like a violent tsunami. What was ironic with what he said was the fact that <em> you were the one in the vulnerable position this time.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Covering your reddened face with your hands, you let out a nervous, “S-Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” </p><p> </p><p>He hummed playfully, as if considering whether or not he’d accept your apology. Laughing it off, he pulled away and sat beside you. “I’ll let you off with a warning for now.” </p><p> </p><p>You sighed in relief. It took you a moment to process what happened, then a thought crossed your mind. His reaction felt awfully quick. You faced him, an eyebrow raised. “Were...you really asleep?” </p><p> </p><p>Alastor only smirked at you and looked away. <em> This bastard. This perfect, lovable bastard. </em>You squinted, “You were awake, weren’t you?” </p><p> </p><p>“...Maybe.” A soft laugh track was heard. A cool breeze passed by, which you were thankful for, since it helped the warmth on your cheeks slowly subside. He turned to you and spoke, “How do you suppose you’d help Charlie advertise the hotel?” </p><p> </p><p>The question took you by surprise, you didn’t really think that small bit earlier interested him at all. You gave him a confused look. “I didn’t really think you were actually concerned about the success of the hotel.”</p><p> </p><p>“Haha! Dear, I only consider the hotel an investment, an ongoing entertainment for myself!” he enthusiastically gestured, pulling you close to him again, raising his other hand to the sky. “I want to watch the scum of the world struggle to climb up the hill of betterment,<em> only to repeatedly trip and tumble down into the fiery pits of failure </em>.”</p><p> </p><p><em> Ugh, you loved that line. His voice was so perfect, you internally made a chef’s kiss with your hand at the fact that you were able to hear Alastor say it in person...and in this proximity, too. </em>Your subconscious thoughts tsked at you in disdain. He literally said something really mean, (Name). What is wrong with you? </p><p> </p><p>You found yourself shifting your gaze to the sky to distract yourself. “Well, I haven’t jotted down the specifics...but  if you really want to know….from what they’ve told me--I think Charlie’s idea isn’t too bad, it’s just...the approach, I think.” </p><p> </p><p>“Care to elaborate, darling?” </p><p> </p><p>You paused, trying to gather your thoughts into something coherent. “Charlie is advertising the hotel in a way that <em> she </em> would find enticing--that Heaven is a wonderful place where everything is happy and perfect and good---but, in reality, she should be advertising the hotel in a way that'd make <em> sinners</em> <em>want </em>to go to Heaven.” </p><p> </p><p>“I’m pretty sure demons wouldn’t want to go to Heaven, <em> just because </em>.” You stopped yourself from trying to impersonate Katie Killjoy when she mocked Charlie after her musical number. Although, you somehow agreed with what the new anchor said---who in the nine circles would think that a single denizen of Hell would give two shits about becoming a better person? </p><p> </p><p>Bringing your gaze back to Alastor, you continued. “I think they wouldn’t do it...unless there was something in it for them.” </p><p> </p><p>Alastor laughed, rolling his eyes at the thought. “And what could Heaven possibly offer them, sweetheart?”</p><p> </p><p>“Something that Hell doesn’t have.” you answered. “A better afterlife? One without suffering? One that lets them live freely without a death target on their backs? One that lets them have a second chance? A chance to be rid of all the struggles and fear. A chance to...<em> A chance to...be with the person they care for who’s up there in Heaven… </em> ?” Your last statement caused you to stop, realizing that you might have rambled <em> too much </em> , and <em> too insensitively.  </em></p><p> </p><p>You found yourself pulling away from him, to give a small distance between you two. “I...I’m sorry...that was...” </p><p> </p><p>“Nothing to worry, my dear.” Alastor shook his head, for a moment there you saw a tinge of sadness in his eyes, to which he quickly covered up by widening his smile. “It’s quite an interesting take.” </p><p> </p><p>Another wave of silence enveloped you two. Turning to you, Alastor began to speak, “Say, (Name)---”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Crash. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The loud sound startled you, causing you to jump from your seat. “Wh-What was that?” </p><p> </p><p>Rushing towards the door, you saw Charlie running up the stairs to call you out. </p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>
  <em> “(Name), we have an emergency.”  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading! &lt;3 I feel so happy that this fanfic is still making you guys smile :") I try to balance the interactions bit by bit. This may be an Alastor x Reader fic, but it's important for Reader to build relationships with everyone else, too. </p><p>Fun Fact: I actually work at an advertising agency, myself. As I said, this is a very self-indulgent fic x'D But, I figured that Reader working in this field would be a very interesting fit to the plot. </p><p>Have any fave scenes? Comment it down below! &lt;3 My personal fave was the bench scene of course x'D For those asking if they can make fanart--of course! Send me a link, I'd love to see them! </p><p>FB: www.facebook.com/flamehazelollipop &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Oh, I Wish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for the support and comments &lt;3 For those wondering why I've been updating constantly--it's because I was currently on a break due to the Holy Week (Me: //sweats nervously because she's been writing a self-indulgent fic on a red-clad demonic deer daddy despite everyone watching The Bible on TV ahahah). With work resuming tomorrow, updates might not come out as quickly, but I do believe it will still be more than once a week because I thirst for Alastor too much x'D Happy reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Crash. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The loud sound startled you, causing you to jump from your seat. “Wh-What was that?” </p><p> </p><p>Rushing towards the door, you saw Charlie running up the stairs to call you out. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “(Name), we have an emergency.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> *~*~*~* </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Once Charlie saw that you were already making your way down, she followed suit. Alastor also trailed behind, his steps less panicked than yours and the princess. Upon arriving downstairs, you saw that Angel, Husk, and Niffty were inside the kitchen. The spider demon pointed at the living room, causing you to turn around. </p><p> </p><p>There, you saw Vaggie was kneeling on the floor while fanning a familiar figure on your sofa. It was a middle-aged woman with a slightly large build, a surgical face mask covering her from the bridge of her nose to her chin. Even with the mask on, you were able to recognize who the person was. You brought your hand to cover your mouth in surprise before you spoke, “Auntie (Neighbor’s  Name)?!” </p><p> </p><p>Charlie placed a hand on your shoulder, a glass of water in her other hand. “We’re so sorry, (Name)! Someone knocked on the door and I accidentally answered it---and well she, uhm, saw all of us,” she paused, then gave an apologetic look. “So, yeah, she uhm….fainted. We’re sorry!”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s fine, it’s fine…” You reassured her. “This is partly my fault. Ever since the quarantine went into effect, with my family away from me, our kind-hearted neighbor from across the street visits me every now and then to check up on me. I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you guys.” </p><p> </p><p>“No no, we should have asked you in the first place, before letting anyone in.” Charlie looked down, taking full responsibility for what she had done. You shook your head. “It’s alright. I’ll handle this. You guys should hide in the kitchen.”  </p><p> </p><p>The two demons agreed. After handing the glass of water to you, Charlie went over to Vaggie to help her stand up. They looked at you, to which you smiled and nodded, permitting them to go ahead and hide. </p><p> </p><p>As you were pulling over a chair across the living room, so you could sit near your unconscious neighbor, you noticed her stir. “...Huh?”</p><p> </p><p>“Auntie (Neighbor’s Name)! Are you alright?” you asked nervously, handing her the glass of water as she sat up. She instinctively took the glass and drank the cool liquid. As she finished, she suddenly felt shaken upon recalling what caused her to faint. </p><p> </p><p>She gripped your shoulder. “(N-Name)! There were--There were monsters! Demons! I saw them with my own two eyes--there was even one that had four arms!” </p><p> </p><p>You rubbed her hand to calm her. “I’m sorry, you must’ve seen the show that was playing on my television..? There aren’t any demons here ahahah…” You hoped and prayed that she would buy your excuse. </p><p> </p><p>She scanned looked around her, a nervous expression still plastered on her face. When she confirmed that there was nothing, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Gosh, maybe it’s this quarantine getting to me…” </p><p> </p><p>“It might be. I appreciate the concern, but I’m worried that it might not be good for you to go outside as often.” You told her. It really was a genuine concern of yours. This pandemic was a serious thing. You know that your neighbor takes every precaution: she wore a mask, she had a hand sanitizer keychain attached to the small purse slung on her shoulder---but you believed that everyone really has to stay home as much as possible. </p><p> </p><p>She gave a soft chuckle before sipping water again. “I understand, but I couldn’t help but worry with you alone here.” </p><p> </p><p>“Auntie, I’m an adult now.” You smiled at her. She’s known you since you were in diapers, so you sensed it was some kind of secondary maternal instinct that’s compelling her to look after you. She smiled back at you, “Yes, sweetie, I know that but, still. We’re concerned abou---<em> who’s that </em>?” </p><p> </p><p>“Wh-Who?” You sharply turned around, blocking your neighbor’s view while doing so. Approaching the last step of the stairs, you saw the red-clad deer demon--who also seemed caught off guard by the presence of an unknown human in the living room. <em> Alastor. You know you always love the sight of Alastor but---this is not the time! </em></p><p> </p><p>Turning around to face your neighbor, you spread out your hand to cover her view of the deer demon by the stairs. “There’s uhm, no one. There’s no one there! Why’d you think there was anyone--”</p><p> </p><p>“No no! I saw someone!” She tried moving whilst in her sitting position, trying to peer past what your body could obscure her view from. “Him! Who’s that guy?” </p><p> </p><p>“Good day, Madam!” </p><p>
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</p><p>You felt like your heart would jump. <em> What is Alastor doing?! He’s not supposed to show up in front of other humans---like, yeah he’s a hot deer demon and he doesn’t look as obvious of a demon as Angel but still! Auntie (Neighbor’s Name) would probably faint again! </em></p><p>
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</p><p>As you turned around, however, your heart really did jump...for an entirely different reason. </p><p> </p><p>You were met with hazel brown eyes hidden by a pair of oval-shaped glasses. The man in front of you had dark brown hair with an olive complexion. He was wearing a white dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up halfway. Atop his dress shirt, he wore a light brown vest and a bow tie in a darker shade of brown, which was the same shade of his slacks. This whole ensemble, partnered with his signature grin--made your blood pressure rise. </p><p>
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  <em> Human Alastor.  </em>
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</p><p>You felt your heart clenched as you were blessed with yet another magnificent version of Alastor, it was as if you were hooked in another rose-colored trance. You probably were. You were. Well, until your neighbor stood up from her seat. “(Name), wh-who’s this?” </p><p> </p><p>“Alastor, Madam! A pleasure meeting you!” he gave a small bow, his grin still present. As much as you like seeing this version of Alastor, and even just Alastor in general, you were silently panicking. Why is Alastor digging your grave deeper by introducing himself?! </p><p> </p><p>Funnily enough, the middle aged woman was starstruck. “Oh, what a handsome young man!” She gasped and turned to you. “(Name), sweetie, is--is he your boyfriend?!”</p><p>
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</p><p>“Oh,<em> I wish </em>.” you accidentally replied. Your neighbor raised an eyebrow. </p><p>
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</p><p>Alastor reached for your hand and pulled you into a hug. “Dear, I fear it’d pass off to be more suspicious if a stranger was with you.” he bent down to whisper as softly as he could. If this were any other situation, you would’ve died from the fact that Alastor was <em> hugging you </em> and that he was <em> whispering into your ear. </em></p><p> </p><p>With a face flushed with bright red, you broke away from the hug and faced your neighbor. “<em> O-Oh, I wish y-you would refrain from telling my family about it, Auntie. They, uhm, don’t know about, uh, us yet. Ahahaha… </em> ” you tried pleading to her nervously. Please buy it. <em> Please. </em> </p><p> </p><p>“Why, yes! We are, unfortunately, secret lovers at the moment--we hope we can keep this to ourselves until I meet my<em> darling’s</em> family myself!” Alastor exclaimed enthusiastically. He sounded like he was narrating a radio drama. It took you a good moment to process what he just said about you two. <em> This is too self-indulgent, you wanted to cover your already red face because you felt another wave of blushing coming through. There’s only so much a fangirl can take! </em></p><p> </p><p>Needless to say, your neighbor took the bait. Nodding, she gave you a big smile. “You’ve found yourself a great catch, (Name)! Don’t let go of this one!” she told you, obviously charmed by your “boyfriend”. </p><p> </p><p>You gave a nervous laugh. “I won’t. I won’t.” Clearing your throat to ease out of the awkwardness, you tried changing the subject. “A-Auntie, I think you should head back home already, it’s almost time for our curfew!” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh dear!” She suddenly brought her attention to her watch. “You’re right! I’ll head back for now. I’ll check up on you two again next week!” she said as she walked towards your front door. </p><p> </p><p>Accompanying her to the door, you gave her a smile. “Sure, thanks for dropping by!” </p><p> </p><p>You watched her step outside, halfway across your front yard, she called out to you. “Don’t go too crazy now, okay, you two? Also, always remember to use protec----” </p><p> </p><p>“--AH, I THINK HEAR THE MICROWAVE BEEPING!” You shouted before slamming the door shut. Leaning your back against the door, you felt yourself slump down to sit on the floor. <em> Why must aunties thrive on embarrassing those younger than them like this? </em></p><p> </p><p>You gave a long and heavy sigh, tired from the whole ordeal that just occurred. Looking up, you saw Alastor, still in his human form, giving you a knowing smirk. “Did I do well, <em> darling? </em>” he asked as he offered you a hand. </p><p> </p><p>The way he dragged the pet name deviated from playful to somewhat...sultry. <em> Maybe that was just your wishful thinking messing with you </em>. Taking his hand, you stood up. As you did, you realized that Alastor was back to being his default self. You could still feel how warm your face is, and you’re pretty sure it’s still as red as his hair. “Th-Thanks, Alastor.” </p><p> </p><p>He laughed. Bending down to your level, he whispered to your ear once more. “Dear, you were right. A sinner such as myself wouldn’t have done it...<em> unless there was something in it for me. </em>” </p><p> </p><p>His words caused you to step back and shiver. Of course. Of course he wouldn’t have done it just to help you out. This was Alastor you were talking about. You supposed it was far too early for you to expect too much. Sighing in defeat, you asked. “What do you want?” </p><p> </p><p>“I’ll keep it in your tab for now, sweetheart.” He answered while he straightened himself up. With a half-lidded gaze, he continued. “After all, we would have to keep up this little charade in front of that kind madam, right, <em> darling </em>?”</p><p> </p><p>Despite the fact that this was frustrating you, you cannot for the life of you, get angry at this insufferable, yet <em> insanely attractive </em>deer demon. You’re gonna have to build up your resistance against his charms someday. Someday. Just not today, because, your heart cannot take the series of events that just occurred all in a day. </p><p> </p><p>“Right, <em> darling </em>.” you replied, playfully rolling out the pet name, trying to hide your happiness because you’ve always wanted to call Alastor affectionately for the longest time. It was his nature to call others with such names with ease, but it definitely would have looked suspicious if it were you, given that today’s events didn’t happen. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Now you kind of feel glad it did. At the same time, you didn’t. You owe Alastor one, and he’s actually putting it on hold--which was making this all the more frustrating for you….which is probably what he wants to see.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Chuckling at your little exchange, the two of you went over to the kitchen door. You turned the knob to open it, which caused Charlie, Vaggie, and Angel to topple on top of each other. They were obviously listening in on what was happening in the living room. </p><p> </p><p>Before they could bring anything up about what happened, Alastor spoke up. “Well, it’s already time to prepare dinner! I’ll whip us up a nice pot of Gumbo!”</p><p> </p><p>The three stood up and dusted off their clothes. “Y-Yeah, that sounds great, Al.” Charlie gave a small smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Uhm, yeah, go ahead. I think we have the ingredients for it.” you told him, unable to look at Alastor as you were distracted by that teasing, knowing look on Angel’s face. He’s living for this kind of torture on you, he already prepared a long list of ways to mess with you using the little interlude with your neighbor earlier, earning you a “boyfriend”. </p><p> </p><p>While Alastor was preparing dinner, Husk and Niffty stayed behind the kitchen. After she arranged your cupboard, the small, one-eyed demon realized that the rest of your cabinets and drawers were a total mess, something which she cannot turn a blind eye to. Husk, on the other hand, well, was just too lazy to move from the cool, comfortable position he was in on the marble kitchen counter. </p><p> </p><p>This left you, Charlie, Vaggie and Angel to occupy the living room. The tension was thick, they were looking at you, waiting for you to say something. Honestly, you didn’t know how to start.</p><p> </p><p>“Well? Are y’all gonna ask her to spill the tea or what?!” Angel told the other two demons off, cutting through the ice with the sharp blade that were his words. </p><p> </p><p>Vaggie just squinted at Angel before addressing their concern in a more proper way. “We, uh, heard what happened--we’re sorry we ended up putting you in that kind of situation.” </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, we’re really sorry things got complicated for you because of us, (Name).” Charlie still felt guilty about how this all started with her. It was a force of habit from back when she was at the Happy Hotel. She would get so excited for guests coming over that she would instantly open the door after just a single knock. </p><p> </p><p>Placing a hand on their shoulders, you shook your head. “Guys, it’s alright, really. We managed to get through it, anyway.” <em> Albeit in the strangest of ways. </em></p><p> </p><p>“Speaking of which,” Vaggie stepped closer to you. “We kind of vaguely overheard, but, <em> how </em>did Alastor just--introduce himself? How did your neighbor not notice that he was--you know, a demon?” They weren't able to see the event unfold earlier, as they had to close the kitchen door to conceal themselves.</p><p> </p><p>“He didn’t look like one when he introduced himself. He looked...human.” You answered, which made the moth demon turn to Charlie. “Hun, he could do that? I didn’t know that a demon could..?” </p><p> </p><p>“Well, you know Al has a lot of powers hiding in him.” Charlie responded, knitting her brows. “I mean, he was able to change my hair, and our clothes before, right? So, I don’t think making himself look human would be too difficult for him.” </p><p> </p><p>Angel couldn’t help but whistle at the thought. “Damn, Smiles as a human? How did he look? Was he hot?” </p><p> </p><p>“<em>Yeah.</em>” you answered dreamily, which caused you to quickly add, “--he looked, uhm, nice. My neighbor was charmed almost immediately.” </p><p> </p><p>“Just like you.” Angel mouthed, snickering at your flustered reaction you tried to hide from the other two. Placing a hand to his cheek, he spoke, “But uh, what was that thing we heard ‘bout Smiles bein’ ya boytoy?”</p><p> </p><p>“I think they said ‘boyfriend’, Angel.” Charlie gave a chuckle. She found the joke lighthearted. Turning to you, she raised an eyebrow. “But yeah, what was that about?” </p><p> </p><p>“Ugh…” You felt embarrassed and covered your face with a palm. Peering through your fingers, you went on. “My neighbor thought he was my boyfriend---and we had to go with it because it’d be a lot more suspicious if there was some stranger in my house.”</p><p> </p><p>“Hah! The Radio Demon having a human for a girlfriend, I never thought I’d live to see the day.” Angel laughed, placing a hand on his hip. “Well, I’m already dead, but ya get it.” </p><p> </p><p>Vaggie rolled her eyes and gave Angel a light push. “They’re not really together, idiot.” </p><p> </p><p>“Not...yet.” Angel smirked knowingly before he started holding back his laughter. “Hahah...y’all never know, soon they’d be<em> rockin’ the bed every night </em>.” he teased, making indecent moans as he mocked the thought. </p><p> </p><p>Actually pushing Angel with more force, Vaggie clicked her tongue. “Knock it off! Ugh.” Turning back to you, the slender demon with white hair sighed. “Sorry, just, be careful of Alastor, (Name). We don’t really know what that guy’s thinking--but whatever it is, I don’t trust one bit of it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks, you guys. I really appreciate the concern.” You gave them a smile. It was really sweet that they were looking out for you, because really, you’re pretty hopeless when it comes down to it, and having friends remind you to get back on your feet was really nice. <em> Friends. You wonder if it was too early to think of them as such. The thought that they might not consider you as one made you slightly saddened, but it was understandable.  </em></p><p>
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</p><p>Dinner was eventually served that night. It was one of Alastor’s favorite dishes, authentic New Orleans gumbo. The moment you stepped into the dining area you were met with the soothing, aromatic scent of a hearty dish made with dark roux, vegetables, chicken, sausage, and shrimp. There was also a big bowl of rice at the center of the dinner table to complement the thickened stew. </p><p> </p><p>Everyone just took a good moment to just take in the delicious scent, heck, even Vaggie was impressed. Taking your seats, you each took servings of your dinner. When you finally got yours, you felt an incredible sense of excitement and anticipation. <em> Alastor’s homemade cooking.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Cautiously, everyone other than yourself, took a slow, hesitant spoonful of the gumbo and rice. <em> Wow </em> . Alastor may have been one of the most enigmatic, terrifying overlords they’ve ever seen, and there was no doubt that he belonged to Hell for the carnage he had caused---but his cooking felt like it was <em> sent from Heaven itself. </em> </p><p> </p><p>Their eyes glimmered before they started chowing down bite after bite. The sight astounded you. You looked at your plate and took a bite for yourself. <em> Oh. </em></p><p> </p><p>Alastor was amused by everyone’s reaction, but your blank expression caused him to raise an eyebrow. “What’s the matter, my dear?” </p><p>
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</p><p>“<em> Will you marry--- </em>oUCH!” </p><p>
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</p><p>Your eyes darted to the effeminate spider demon across the table. He stomped on your foot to stop your crazed fangirl thoughts from jeopardizing his liquor access. If anyone else, especially Alastor, finds out about your secret, there wouldn’t be a point for you to give him the privilege of having the keys to the storage room. <em> This spider needs extra liquor in his life and he wants to keep it that way. </em> </p><p>
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</p><p>Turning back to Alastor, you gave a nervous laugh. “--mar--make us more! Your cooking skills are amazing, this is the best gumbo I’ve had!” </p><p>
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</p><p>“Ah, surely! You flatter me far too much, <em> darling. </em>” He responded, teasing you by lacing his voice with ironic sweetness as he mentioned your supposed ‘pet name’ as a ‘couple’. This caused you to just shove the spoonful of gumbo in your mouth so you could fucking shut up and stop yourself from saying anything else that’s stupid. </p><p>
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</p><p>Once all of you finished eating, Charlie and Vaggie took the initiative to clean up and wash the dishes. You actually offered to help, but it seemed they wanted to make up for the little incident earlier. Thanking them, you let them take care of the chore, which looked like they’re happily bonding at the same time with, anyways. </p><p> </p><p>As you checked the time, you decided to turn in earlier than usual tonight, seeing as it was already Monday tomorrow, and you had work first thing in the morning. Climbing up the stairs, you felt that familiar cool breeze from above. Unable to resist, you ended up heading farther up to the rooftop to take a peek. </p><p> </p><p>Surely enough, Alastor was there, staring up at the stars in a relaxed, seated position on the bench. It was these rare moments that you find even more so captivating about him--and right now, you didn’t want to take that moment away from him. As you were about to take your leave, the door suddenly closed by itself. You were about to turn the knob to open it, but before you could even reach it, you suddenly found yourself seated on the bench beside the red-clad demon. </p><p> </p><p>“Ah, fancy seeing you here, darling.” </p><p> </p><p>You felt bewildered by what just happened. “You...did you just….teleport me….?” What the actual fuck? The thought of it was exhilarating, but at the same time, it sort of frightened you to experience such a surreal thing. </p><p> </p><p>“My dear,” he smirked, trying to play coy. “Whatever do you mean?” You rolled your eyes. Scratching your cheek, you shyly looked up to him. “I--Er, sorry I disturbed you. I was about to head back inside.” </p><p> </p><p>He gave a small chuckle at your meek expression. “It’s quite alright, sweetheart. This won’t take too long.” </p><p> </p><p>Raising an eyebrow, you prodded him to continue. “What will?” The curiosity in  your eyes sparked a mischievous glint in his own red orbs. </p><p>
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  <em> “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.” </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Alastor: There's something I've been meaning to ask you.<br/>Reader: ///war flashbacks of every moment she (accidentally) visibly showed her thirst for Alastor<br/>Reader: What could it possibly be? Ahahah...hah...ha....</p><p>Thank you for reading, you guys! &lt;3 I love reading comments so please let me know what you think! I'd love to know if you had any fave scenes &lt;3 </p><p>Fun Fact: The "Oh, I wish" part was actually something my suitor said when my friend asked if he was my boyfriend x"D Well--he's my boyfriend now, so wishes get granted! x'D Let's all hope Reader's wish comes true soon! &lt;3 </p><p>Fun Fact 2: I am actually severely allergic to seafood, so I feel sad knowing that I won't get to eat most of Al's dishes if he ever got stuck with me :'( At least Reader gets to enjoy it x'D</p><p>Take care and stay home y'all! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. You Wanted That Dessert</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey, guys! Thank you so much for all your comments last chapter! &lt;3 I'm really touched by the support! :') Much so that I went straight to finishing this chapter up right after work earlier x'D I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He gave a small chuckle at your meek expression. “It’s quite alright, sweetheart. This won’t take too long.” </p><p> </p><p>Raising an eyebrow, you prodded him to continue. “What will?” The curiosity in your eyes sparked a mischievous glint in his own red orbs. </p><p>
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</p><p>
  <em> “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.” </em>
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  <em> *~*~*~* </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The funny thing whenever someone says something along those lines, like “I have to ask you something” or “we have to talk”---you could not stop yourself from having war flashbacks of everything you’ve said or done wrong in your entire life and your brain just short circuits from thinking <em> which </em>one were you in trouble for. </p><p> </p><p>You tried cracking up a small smile to avoid any suspicions--but like, you know, you just ended up with some ugly excuse of an expression that just silently screams how nervous you were. <em> Is this it? You just knew that he was gonna bring up all your slip-ups. It’s practically impossible to hide from it now.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Knowing that there was no point in delaying the inevitable, you let out a shaky breath. “...What is it..?” </p><p>
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</p><p>“<em> You’re trying to hide something, aren’t you? </em>” </p><p>
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</p><p>There it is. </p><p>
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</p><p>Questions began bursting through your mind like a strong current of water that broke through a solid dam. You couldn’t pinpoint how to react--<em> what is he referring to </em> ? <em> That you knew that they were from a fictional show called Hazbin Hotel? That you were secretly obsessed about him after watching said fictional show? That you have been trying your best to hide your insatiable thirst for him? wHICH ONE WAS IT?  </em></p><p> </p><p>You bit your lip. It has been second nature for you to just blurt out unnecessary things when you were around Alastor, but now wasn’t the time for you to mess things up even further. You haven’t confirmed what he knew, so the best way to go around this is to not say anything that he might not actually know of at the moment. You might as well get through this honestly in a roundabout, but cautious way. </p><p> </p><p>Looking up at him, you tried your best to actually play it off cool by mimicking him from a while back. “C-Care to elaborate, <em> darling? </em>” </p><p> </p><p>Your response made him chuckle. This was turning out far more amusing than he initially thought it would. Resting his cheek on his palm, you heard a soft crackle of static before he answered. “I cannot help but observe you, so I…” </p><p> </p><p>Hearing that he was observing you made you flinch. You had an awful, uncomfortable feeling that he had noticed how embarrassingly shameless you have been acting with all your gawking and daydreaming. </p><p>
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</p><p>“<em> ...began to wonder if it really was you who brought us all here. </em>” </p><p>
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  <em> What?  </em>
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</p><p>His statement caught you off guard. You actually found yourself standing up from your seat from both surprise and confusion. “I--Wh--You’re kidding me, right?” </p><p> </p><p>Weird static mixed with garbled, incoherent noises filled the pause after your confused little outburst. “I am certainly not insinuating mere nonsense, my dear.” he replied, “While I truly do not mind, should it be true, I would like to know how you did it.” </p><p> </p><p>“How I did what?” you asked, still unable to believe your ears. Alastor laughed, “How you summoned us here, <em> darling </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Closing your eyes and pinching the bridge of your nose, you took in a long sharp breath. Honestly, all you just wanted to do right now was look at him dead in the eye and say, “<em> bruh. </em>”</p><p> </p><p>“Alastor,” You couldn’t control yourself from letting out your breath in a frustrated huff. “I didn’t summon you guys here. I don’t even know how to do that!” you exclaimed, turning away from him.</p><p> </p><p>“Dear, if that’s true, then why does it feel like you were already aware of our existence?” he pressed, grabbing your wrist to face him again. <em> There is a totally different reason for that one, Alastor, but now is not the right time for you to know </em>. </p><p> </p><p>You tried to break away from his grasp, but he wouldn’t budge until you responded. “I know it’s strange for me to just accept you guys here, but I already made it clear that it’s only because I couldn’t bring myself to leave you guys alone knowing you’re stuck here!”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m just a normal girl, Alastor. I’m not anything special. I don’t have powers like you do. I’m just...I’m just a helpless human being who was dumb enough to let danger in her life without thinking of the long term consequences it came with.” </p><p> </p><p>Your response made him let go of your wrist. For a good moment, there was just silence. There wasn’t any static or noise or anything. Just silence. </p><p>
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</p><p>Then, a laugh. </p><p>
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</p><p>“It seems the creative workings of my own mind have bested me this time.” He said, taking hold of your wrist once more to spin you around before firmly placing a hand on your back and dipping you backwards, his face <em>extremely</em> close to yours. “You truly are <em>a</em> <em>helpless human being, darling.”</em></p><p> </p><p><em> “In...more ways than one.” </em>you murmured breathlessly. His eyes glowed a soft red, his monocle glistening from the moonlight cast down on you two. For a demon, the closeness of your bodies sure felt warm, strangely comforting even. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> You truly are helpless. </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Guiding your body to straighten up in a graceful pull, Alastor couldn’t help but take in your appearance. Your hair was disheveled after he spun you around, not to mention being dipped low and back up. Your shirt had been slightly raised up from the little dance. Your face was lightly dusted with red, barely noticeable under the dimness of the night, if not for the moonlight that shone on you two. And then, there were your eyes. </p><p> </p><p>Your eyes alone hinted at countless stories that he wished to translate. He may be one to keep an insurmountable amount of secrets himself, and his smile has helped him conceal as much as he wished, but with you...with you he becomes enticed to discover a different trove of secrets hidden beyond your refreshingly diverse set of expressions. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> This was definitely an interesting new form of entertainment. </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“I...I should head to bed now. I, uhm, have work tomorrow.” you spoke up, bringing out your phone to check the time. It was already getting late. </p><p> </p><p>Stepping to the side for you to make way, Alastor nodded. “Indeed, it is. Run along now, I’ll stay here for a bit longer.” </p><p> </p><p>“Right…” you agreed, walking towards the door. “Uhm...good night, Alastor.” </p><p> </p><p>He lightly chuckled before he responded. “Good night, <em> darling. </em>”</p><p> </p><p>The way he addresses you, with that pet name having a newfound context, still made you so flustered that you accidentally bumped your head on the door frame. <em> You’re such a dork.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Rubbing your forehead, you groaned. It didn’t hurt that much, but it was a mild annoyance. Finally heading downstairs, you saw Angel walking towards your brothers’ room. He had a bottle of beer in tow. Your sudden presence jolted him for a split-second, causing him to whip his head towards your direction. </p><p> </p><p>“Ah, geez, toots.” he gave a relieved sigh. “I fuckin’ thought I got caught or something.” </p><p> </p><p>Rolling your eyes, you giggled. “You gotta do better at sneaking those in, a certain feline is bound to get suspicious, you know.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ooh, big words, girlie.” The spider pointed at you with one of his free hands. “Come back to me on that when ya’ve gotten better at sneakin’ yer feelings around--a certain deer’s bound to get suspicious, y’know.” he shot back in a playful, mocking tone. </p><p> </p><p>You squinted at him before the two of you shared a quick laugh. “I know, I know. But like, sometimes I wonder if I should really be worried.”</p><p> </p><p>“Whaddya mean?” Angel asked, suddenly intrigued. Placing your hands in your pocket, you gave out a sigh. “...Does Alastor even know...well...<em> that </em> feeling..?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, of co--” the effeminate spider demon raised a finger, but paused midway as he processed the thought. “...Huh. I ain’t actually sure with that sterile virgin asshole.” </p><p> </p><p>You snorted at his description, as you recalled hearing it from a HuniCast stream sometime ago. For now, you decide to drop the topic. “Ah well, anyways--my room keys are still with you.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh yeah,” he remembered, tossing the key ring at you. Catching it, albeit in a way far from graceful, you gave a huff. “Gee, thanks.” Angel stuck out a tongue at you before he went inside their room. </p><p> </p><p>You looked around before opening your room, a grown habit of yours now. Quickly getting inside, you locked the door behind you. Absorbing the events from earlier, you found yourself sinking down to the floor. <em> Thank goodness Alastor did not ask for anything else you had worried about. </em></p><p> </p><p>Checking out your phone, you let out a groan. So much for sleeping early. Although, quite frankly, you wondered why you were fooling yourself with feeling bad about it. You didn’t feel bad. That moment with Alastor was <em> worth it </em>. </p><p> </p><p>Thinking about Alastor made you want to enter lalaland again. Getting up, you made a jump for it and landed on your soft bed face first. As you were about to indulge yourself by recalling that heated memory, something struck you. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“How <em> did </em>they end up here, really?”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>You remember that you saw this strange fanfiction flash on your phone seconds before disaster. You just know that it had something to do with all this. Thankfully, this wasn’t some cliche fanfic plot-convenience bit where you forgot an important plot element. Unlocking your phone, you immediately went to the search engine to search for it. “Hazbin Hotel Alastor x Reader….”</p><p> </p><p>You paused. You needed to type in the title of the fanfic so you could quickly pinpoint it in the immense sea of Alastor fics. No worries, you knew the title. You knew it. You...knew it.</p><p> </p><p><em> “Are you fucking kidding me?” </em> you hissed, completely furious that you cannot bring yourself to type it. <em> You can’t remember. </em></p><p> </p><p>You felt a migraine coming up just from pondering on it. Maybe you would recall the title eventually. You supposed it was the least of your problems. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Or so you thought. </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Morning arrived and you were awoken with a familiar tune that you've always set for your alarm during weekdays--mainly to allow you to wake up in a good mood, especially on a Monday. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You have a dream </em>
</p><p>
  <em> You wish to tell </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And it’s just laughable </em>
</p><p>
  <em> But hey, kid  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> What the hell </em>
</p><p> </p><p>But on this particular Monday, after seconds of listening to your alarm, you felt your eyes open wide as you frantically realized that----<em> they might fucking hear your alarm.  </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ‘Cause you’re one of a kind </em>
</p><p>
  <em> A charming demon belle </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Now, let’s give these burning fools </em>
</p><p>
  <em> A place to dwell </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Take it, boys </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You panicked as you fumbled around your bed for your phone. The worst part about your alarm was the fact that it gets louder and louder and <em> louder </em>the longer you leave it without pressing snooze. </p><p>
  <em> Inside of every demon is a lost cause </em>
</p><p>
  <em> But we’ll dress ‘em up for now  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> With just a smile </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Finally finding the culprit, your hands shook as you concentrated on pressing snooze. Doing so stopped the song, which allowed you to finally let out a relieved sigh. Learning your lesson, you decided to change the alarm tone to one of the default ones. So much for waking up with a good mood. </p><p> </p><p>After taking a shower and changing into a comfortable shirt and your favorite shorts, you grabbed a (favorite color) button-up blouse, still held up on a hanger. You headed downstairs with a backpack in one hand and your blouse in the other. As you were about to make your last steps down, you caught Husk about to head upstairs. </p><p> </p><p>He raised an eyebrow after taking a look at you. “You leavin’ or something?” </p><p> </p><p>“Ah, no,” you chuckled. “I’ll be working here at home, just needed to bring my stuff downsta--” </p><p> </p><p>“I don’t really care.” Husk interrupted you, immediately disinterested. You sighed, “Do you always have to start the day with the best attitude, Husk?” </p><p> </p><p>Husk gave a sarcastic laugh at your comment. “Kid, if you slept in the same room as the spider idiot that keeps yapping and yapping all night like a drunken bastard, you’d be pissy, too.” </p><p> </p><p>“Aww, no. Sorry.” you apologized, feeling sorry for him. He rolled his eyes. “The best way to show you're sorry is with a bottle of beer, kid.” </p><p> </p><p>“M-Maybe after lunch this time?” you bargained. Honestly, you felt really guilty that Angel gets a better deal out of all this compared to Husk, but you figured a good way to balance out a single bottle of beer for him is to probably serve it halfway through a day. Giving up on it, the feline sighed as he made his way further up the stairs, “Whatever.” </p><p>Placing your stuff on the sofa, you pulled out your laptop out of your bag and carefully laid it on your coffee table. After setting up, you decided to head over to the kitchen for a quick breakfast run before you actually start with work. </p><p> </p><p>As you entered the kitchen, you saw Alastor, who was already placing down another beautiful plate of his creation on top of your dinner table. It seemed to be some tender meat in a tomato-based sauce with onions, celery, green peppers, and a heap of garlic, all atop a soft, white mixture you weren’t as familiar with. </p><p> </p><p>“Ah, good morning, <em> darling. </em>” Alastor greeted you, still playfully keeping up the pet name. Taking off the apron, he grabbed your hand and led you to your seat. “You’re just in time! I made Grillades and Grits for breakfast!” </p><p> </p><p>“Gree...and what…” you trailed, taking another look at the plate. He chuckled at your response and nodded. “Yes, Grillades and Grits. It is one of my favorites for breakfast!” </p><p> </p><p>You really found it endearing whenever Alastor beams with pride when it comes to his cooking, and his favorite homemade meals. Taking up a serving for yourself, you asked, “What’s this?” </p><p> </p><p>“That, my dear, are grits. You make them by bringing water, milk, and salt to a boil in a saucepan.” he told you enthusiastically. “It’s a classic pair for breakfast, should it be rice--then it would be dinner. Hahaha!” </p><p> </p><p>After flashing him a smile at his explanation, you took a spoonful of the dish and brought it to your mouth, anticipating the exquisite flavors that your favorite deer demon was so proud of. With just a taste of it, you already knew why he was so proud of the meal. <em> It was divine. </em></p><p> </p><p>It was so good, you felt like tears would form in the corners of your eyes. Why the hell did you even think of going for cereal or instant noodles for breakfast? After getting a taste of Alastor’s cooking---how would you be able to come back to your meager mornings?</p><p> </p><p>You took bite after bite after bite until you’ve had enough. For a good moment you just sat there with so much content. Alastor looked very pleased, and so did you, especially with a beautiful, beautiful creature right across you. You could not stop yourself from staring at him dreamily. </p><p> </p><p>He tilted his head, and asked. “What are you looking at, <em> darling </em>?”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“<em> Dessert.”  </em></p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Alastor parted his lips for a moment. Breaking away from your impossible, crazed fangirl trance, you immediately coughed and blurted out,<em> “--Dessert! I, uhm, was thinking about what to eat for dessert and I, er, zoned out for a while! Sorry...ahahaha..hah…” </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Why the fuck are you so dumb??? </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Processing what you said, Alastor stood up. “Oh, then I could whip up some dessert for you in a jiffy if you would like?” he asked, he had been contemplating on making dessert before, but he just didn’t have the right ingredients for them. He thought he could have them in a snap, but the ingredients that materialize do not have any taste, unfortunately. </p><p> </p><p>Shaking your head, you suddenly stood up, as well. “Ah, n-no, it’s alright. I just realized that it’s already time for me to start working!” you told him, walking out of the kitchen. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“<em> Thanks you’re the meal----I mEAN THANKS FOR THE MEAL </em> !” you called out, but immediately tripped on your carpet upon realizing another slip up. <em> Just, why?! </em></p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>You groaned from the sudden fall. As you were getting up, you realized that a familiar figure with four arms was standing right in front of you. “Ya done bein’ a total mess, ya dork?” Angel asked, squinting at you with a pair of his arms crossed. </p><p> </p><p>Dusting off your knees, you let off another groan. “<em> I wish </em>.”  </p><p> </p><p>“Ugh, yer a lost cause, toots.” you told you straight up, clicking his tongue with disdain. As he sauntered over to the kitchen, you heard him call out teasingly, “Oh, Alastor~ What did you prepare for me?~”</p><p> </p><p>“Uhm,” Alastor replied and simply glared, “Preferably a coffin or a sack we could use to toss you into a river!” </p><p> </p><p>Angel sighed, the deer demon was obviously an asshole. He wondered how you even got off on liking the psycho. You gave a chuckle before really heading back to the living room to work. </p><p> </p><p>Ever since the entire region went on a community quarantine, your boss decided to have your whole team work from home. Technology made the quarantine more bearable in many ways. For one thing, you were still able to coordinate with your coworkers via video conferences, calls, and online applications. </p><p> </p><p>Taking off the hanger, you put on your blouse over your shirt. You had a video conference with your coworkers during Monday mornings, so you had to at least make your top presentable. Plus, you could easily take it off after the meeting, anyways. </p><p> </p><p>When you were finally set up, you were just in time for the video conference. You greeted your coworkers cheerfully. The advertising agency you worked at had a real nice bunch. There were just a handful of you in the office, so you actually managed to become really close to them. Although morning meetings were always just straight to the point regarding workload for the day, today felt...off. </p><p> </p><p>There was a long pause, which brought you confusion. Eventually, breaking the silence, your boss spoke up. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “We’re sorry, (Name), but there’s going to be some changes.” </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading! &lt;3 Did you like this chapter? Let me know in the comments! I would really appreciate it! &lt;3<br/>Do you have a favorite part? I have a lot for this chapter, but I think that quick, little dance with Alastor--and the way he described your eyes, are my top faves ehe &lt;3</p><p>Fun Fact: I was torn between naming this chapter "You Wanted That Dessert" and "Thank You For The Meal" x"D but yeah. God, Reader, why are you such a mess?? Hahaha! </p><p>Take care and stay home, everyone! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Raise a Glass</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, everyone! The tone for today's chapter will be a bit different from usual. I do hope you'll still like it!<br/>For updates, sneak peeks, and discussions on this fic, please follow me @HHQWMD flamehazelollipop on Twitter! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Although morning meetings were always just straight to the point regarding workload for the day, today felt...off. </p><p> </p><p>There was a long pause, which brought you confusion. Eventually, breaking the silence, your boss spoke up. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “We’re sorry, (Name), but there’s going to be some changes.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>*~*~*~*</p><p> </p><p>There was a long list of inevitable things that was waiting in line to greatly affect the lives of many ever since this pandemic spread across the globe. One of those was the implementation of a quarantine, which was exactly the reason you were stuck at home in the first place. </p><p> </p><p>The quarantine was necessary to lessen social interactions, gatherings and the like. Social distancing is a total must to protect yourselves from catching the virus, especially since this new strain was spreading everywhere like wildfire. </p><p> </p><p>You weren’t really one to be so outgoing. Social events really weren't something you thought you’d miss. You didn’t think it would affect you personally...but now it just occurred to you that it was going to affect you in a different, yet equally impactful way. </p><p> </p><p>“(Name), <em> all </em> of  your accounts are <em> on hold </em>.” your boss told you, an obvious uneasiness in her voice. Your boss wasn’t the terror type that you would usually see in those typical office shows. She was actually more compassionate about her employees, which explains why she felt really sorry about what she was about to tell you. </p><p> </p><p>After a long pause, she continued. “Because of the quarantine, a number of establishments were made to temporarily close to ensure that people would stay home, lessen social interactions, and keep their staff safe, as well. So...we’re sorry to say this, (Name), <em> but all of your accounts are </em>…”</p><p> </p><p>“..<em> .restaurants and hotels </em>…” you finished for her, giving out a shaky breath. At this point, you kind of wished you opted out of the switching on your camera for the conference, because you could definitely tell that all of your coworkers were looking at you. </p><p> </p><p>You heard your boss sigh on her end. “Right. And, they’ve all called us up to ask us to stop the advertisements during the quarantine, so that they can allocate the money to pay their staff, and manage the losses.” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> That means they don’t need you anymore. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>All you could do was nod, you felt a lump form in your throat. “Please, I...need this job.” you whispered, it was all you could muster as a response. Your current salary used to be more than enough for you, but with the fact that you had six more mouths to feed in this house, you can’t afford less than what you already earn.</p><p> </p><p>You stared at the apologetic look your boss gave. After a few moments of silence for her to ponder, she spoke up. “We...know you do. Look, we’re not...letting you off, (Name). It’s just that...” </p><p> </p><p>“...We’d have to change your work hours...and salary rate to manage <em> our </em>losses, too.” Your boss admitted. According to her, you would still be given an account or two to handle, but they’re so low maintenance that you’ll only be asked to work for around 4 hours a day...which will greatly affect your salary, as well.</p><p> </p><p>Your eyes were starting to water. Yes, you were thankful that it wasn’t the worst case scenario. Honestly, you thought they were going to lose your job just moments ago. However, you were now stuck with the unsettling feeling in your stomach knowing that your finances will be compromised. <em> How were you supposed to survive this? </em></p><p> </p><p>Worried by your nonresponse, your boss called you out. “(Name)? We...hope you understand. Please bear with us on this. It’s...not something we wanted.” Trying to lighten things up, your boss continued, “And, this is...well, temporary. Once this quarantine is over and our accounts are back up and running, we’ll bring back work hours and salaries to normal again.”</p><p> </p><p>Hearing that did somehow ease the heaviness of the news. You looked back at the camera, gave a light, bittersweet smile and nodded. “I...understand.” </p><p> </p><p>With that out of the way, the work meeting went on business as usual. The only difference is that the remaining minutes felt like an eternity that you just wanted to get away from already. Making sure you responded when you needed to, you did your best to be as professional as you could. </p><p> </p><p>As soon as you were dismissed, you ended the call and finally let out the breath that you were holding...along with the tears that you tried <em> so hard </em> to blink away.  </p><p> </p><p>You faced away from the kitchen, not wanting to show the others the ugly mess your face had become from the tears. From what you’ve noticed in your peripheral vision earlier, Alastor, Angel, and Niffty were in there. There were rushed footsteps that echoed at your staircase, you sensed that it was Charlie, excitedly calling out to Vaggie to hurry up so they could eat breakfast. </p><p> </p><p>Honestly, you initially thought that the six demons would often fight or cause a ruckus, but they seemed to get along really swell. Those who liked each other stuck together. Those who didn’t found themselves tolerating each other. Though, there were a few jabs at each other here and there, they weren’t really as scary and extreme as you pictured it to be before. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> They had their own, functional coexistence that just...worked.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>And, at this point, you were part of this coexistence, too. This realization both elated and terrified you. Not knowing how the chemistry of your relationships among the six demons worked, you were <em> scared </em>. You were scared of messing it all up. Your setup was already going good. It was all going better than you thought. </p><p> </p><p>But, to think that life would just be so kind to you just like that….is just <em> laughable </em>.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>As you heard the others shuffle out of the kitchen, you quickly wiped away your tears and brought your attention back to your laptop. You still had work to do, and you did not want them to know...your situation. </p><p> </p><p>“Hey, (Name)! Good morning!” you heard Charlie call out. Her voice was sincere and sweet, you admire her cheeriness. You felt like it was one of the reasons that drew you and the other demons to her. Not wanting to face her, you pretended to be engaged by what was on your screen. “Morning! Sorry, I’m just in the middle of work.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oohh! No worries!” the princess reassured you. As she got back to the plush seat where Vaggie was, Charlie gave her girlfriend a tight hug. Vaggie returned the hug contentedly. When Alastor walked into the living room, you heard Charlie called out to him. “Hey, Al. Should we try opening a portal again?” </p><p> </p><p>“We might as well give it a go.” he agrees. Making his way across you, you saw him summon his microphone. It was the same old, same old routine...but something felt amiss. He gave you a long look while Charlie was preparing herself. Your laptop screen was able to hide most of your face, but he was able to take a glance at your eyes. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> It looked empty. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>As he and Charlie began wielding their power, trying to place their thoughts into converting their power to work as they intended it to be, there seemed to be slight...<em> progress </em> to their attempt. The usual faint red light was somehow brighter today, and it lasted longer than how it usually did. </p><p> </p><p>“Is...is it working…?” Charlie found herself asking aloud. She, too, noticed the improvement. “It’s...a lot longer than our usual.” </p><p> </p><p>Hearing Charlie’s comment caused you to widen your eyes for a split-second. Alastor was able to catch that, along with the conflict your eyes glistened with. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> That was peculiar. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Your mind was reeling over <em> so many things </em> that you felt <em> numb </em>. Among the weights your heart carried stemmed from your meeting from earlier, and it jammed countless thoughts that you felt sick just trying to absorb. </p><p> </p><p>One of those thoughts was the possibility of their attempt to go back home...to be<em> successful </em>.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You felt horrible for having it cross your mind, but a voice in your head reasoned that if they were to succeed, you would have less to worry about given your condition. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Trying to maintain the numbness when you saw them about to attempt opening a portal back to Hell, you just let yourself void of any feelings. You felt empty. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You would feel empty without them.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The thought escaped your mind the moment you heard Charlie comment on their progress, the barrier you tried to place around your heart was as thin as ice. The moment they mentioned that there was this possibility of their attempt to be working, you felt the ice <em> crack </em>. </p><p> </p><p>It was as if you were standing atop that layer of ice, with one of your feet falling deep into the mercilessly cold water while the other still held its ground above. <em> You were conflicted. </em></p><p> </p><p>As the red light grew stronger, so did your impossibly despicable selfishness. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You were selfish.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Succumbing to this, you found the ice disintegrating completely, causing you to fall and drown in your own, self-serving emotions. </p><p> </p><p>The light faded. </p><p> </p><p>Readjusting your eyes back to the room's normal color, no longer tinted with the redness the light brought, you decided to look up from your laptop screen to whatever was in front of you. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Alastor.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Albeit a good distance across you, you knew. He was looking directly at you. Others might not have noticed, because the red-clad deer demon always, <em> always </em> smiled, but you knew. You weren’t a crazy, obsessed fangirl for Alastor for nothing. </p><p> </p><p>His smile was <em> wicked. </em></p><p> </p><p>That swift moment your eyes met was more than enough to send shivers down your spine. The look he gave you was definitely not good, <em> especially </em> for you. You had a sickening feeling that it was <em> because </em> of you. </p><p> </p><p>Breaking away from it, you brought your focus back to your laptop, back to your work. You heard Charlie and the others discuss what they’ve done earlier. Idly listening to their forum, you heard that they concluded to make an attempt everyday, as the connection could grow progressively with each passing day they attempt to do so. </p><p> </p><p>Tuning them out, you poured more focus than usual on your work, mainly just to actually forget the fact that by tomorrow, you wouldn’t really have much direction when it came to workload. </p><p> </p><p>When you had a job that you were so passionate about, you cannot help but feel like a part of you was about to bid farewell all because of this <em> blasted </em>quarantine. </p><p> </p><p>“...<em> Quarantine… </em>” you found yourself saying the word aloud. There was something about it that made you ponder. You couldn’t pinpoint what it was that made you feel as if there was something...off about the word in particular. </p><p> </p><p>All of a sudden, you heard a familiar radio-filtered voice, right beside you. “What was that, <em> darling </em>?” </p><p> </p><p>You literally <em> squeaked </em> and <em> fell over </em> from surprise. Getting a hold of yourself, you scrambled back to a seated position. Huffing from that heart attack, you shot a glare at the culprit. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> That beautiful, beautiful culprit.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Now definitely was not the time, (Name). You were supposed to be angry from the unwanted jolt that resulted in you falling over--you weren’t supposed to get...lost...in….his...dreamy….red...eyes. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Well, you already lost. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Sighing in defeat, you asked. “What was that for, Alastor?” Laughing at your reaction, he replied, “Why, nothing, <em>darling</em>. I was just...<em>curious.</em> You were murmuring something to yourself a few moments ago.”  </p><p> </p><p>“Oh…” was all you could say as you plopped back on the sofa. “I...was just cursing this quarantine.” </p><p> </p><p>Another laugh erupted from the enigmatic deer demon. “My dear, I would not throw such words up and about if I were you.” </p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean?” You raised an eyebrow as you turned to him. He placed his palm on the wall, using the solid, concrete surface to support him as he leaned. “The cursing, sweetheart. It’s quite dangerous.” </p><p> </p><p>“Uhm, I don’t think it’s...are we talking about the same kind of cursing?” you asked. “I mean, I’m not doing any hoodoo or whatever using the word, I just cursed it for being the current bane of my existence.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, regardless, <em> darling </em>.” Amused by your response, Alastor shook his head. “This living world was not built to be forgiving. It may hand out blessings on a silver platter at some point, but curse it once and you’ll deal with ruthless consequences.” </p><p> </p><p>It was hard to process what he was trying to say, so you looked away and let him continue. “Don’t curse at something and pray it won’t remember, because it will. Prayers will mean nothing. They never did.” </p><p> </p><p>“I...never really thought of it that way.” you told him, feeling wary by what you heard. Bending down, he placed a finger under your chin to raise your gaze to him. With a knowing smirk, his eyes faintly glowed red. “<em> Why else do you think I refrain from cursing, darling?”  </em></p><p> </p><p>The warmth you felt from his touch soon manifested on your now red, flustered face. Pulling away, you gave an awkward chuckle. “Y-You’re right.” </p><p> </p><p>Satisfied with your reaction, Alastor walked away to check up on Charlie and Vaggie, with the latter not so welcoming on the intrusion of their discussion. It looked like Alastor’s usual shenanigans with messing with the moth demon, and with the pale blond demon princess trying to arbitrate between the two. </p><p> </p><p>Finally having time to think, you found yourself remembering Alastor’s...interesting piece of information. With his belief, it surely did give you an answer as to why he wouldn’t curse compared to the other demons that were with you. His words still echoed in your mind, eerily bringing cold air around you whenever it played in your thoughts.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Don’t curse at something and pray it won’t remember, because it will. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Aside from the morning’s events, the day passed by uneventfully. It was already evening. Alastor was in charge of cooking, as usual, but for once you found yourself unenthusiastic as you ate dinner earlier. </p><p> </p><p>You were so out of it that when Alastor asked you what you’d want for dessert tomorrow morning, you were able to stop yourself from saying, “<em> You’re more than enough.” </em> and said “... <em> Any is fine. </em>” instead. </p><p> </p><p>Angel found himself squinting at you, he was already preparing to stomp on your foot, but he ended up bringing his foot back on the floor when you answered with something...normal, if not, bland. </p><p> </p><p>When you and Angel were left inside the kitchen to wash the dishes, which was more of Angel watching you do the dishes in his place, the effeminate arachnid couldn’t help but ask. “So, ya sick or somethin’, toots? Yer acting...weird.”</p><p> </p><p>“Aww, you actually care, Angel?” you teased, slightly easing up as you washed the dishes. Angel rolled his eyes. “Nah, I don’t give a shit, babe. I just kinda miss stompin’ on yer feet for bein’ the thirsty bitch that ya always were.” </p><p> </p><p>You forced out a laugh. Placing the now clean dishes to the cupboard, you replied. “Oh, my feet will be thanking me. That’s for sure.” </p><p> </p><p>Wiping your hands dry on your shirt, you began heading out of the kitchen. “It’s nothing, Angel. Really. Today...just wasn’t a good day for me.” </p><p> </p><p>The spider demon shrugged at your response and decided not to prod anymore. You found yourself climbing up the stairs. Met with the same, cool breeze that signalled that someone was up at the rooftop, you paused at the foot of the stairs leading further up.  </p><p> </p><p>You knew that Alastor was there, as he usually would late at night. However, with the amount of emotional baggage this day dumped on you, you made up your mind. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Not today. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Had it been any other day, you probably would’ve cloned yourself and let the clone bring out your soul with one powerful slap---<em> did you just skip an opportunity to spend time with Alastor? </em></p><p> </p><p>Never in your crazed, Alastor-thirsty life did you think that you’d purposely miss a chance to be with your beloved deer demon. Yet, here you were. </p><p> </p><p>With a sigh you hastily entered your room and locked the door behind you. You didn’t even bother to open the lights anymore, you just lazily walked over to your bed using muscle memory. In one big flop, you landed face first on your pillows, as if there were magnets below you pulling you in. </p><p> </p><p>A good hour has passed and you expected that you’d be asleep by this time. But, unfortunately, you were not. You tried shifting in your bed, looking for that peak position to sleep in, the kind where you’d feel the stars were aligned---but it seemed like there weren’t any stars aligning for you tonight. </p><p> </p><p>With a groan, you licked your chapped lips. You wanted to sleep. You just wanted to goddamn sleep and just momentarily forget this day. Unable to even get your eyelids weigh down with drowsiness, you’ve had just enough. Getting up, you headed towards your door. </p><p> </p><p>On nights like these, you recall that drinking a glass of milk would help you. When you got out of your room, you looked up at the staircase leading to the rooftop. The door was still open, and Alastor was still probably there. <em> Does that demon even sleep? </em>You just can’t help but wonder. </p><p> </p><p>Shaking off the temptation to head up, you brought your gaze back to the stairs leading down. As you arrived downstairs, you noticed that the light in the kitchen was still on. You figured that Angel must have forgotten (or, not have cared enough) to close the lights. Entering the kitchen, you nearly screeched from surprise when you saw someone inside. </p><p> </p><p>“H-Husk?” you asked, confused why the feline was still up. Upon getting a better look at him and his setup, it seems he was drinking beer. He actually had two bottles of beer, which made him obligated to answer your questioning glance at the extra bottle. </p><p> </p><p>“What?” Taking a swig of beer, he responded in his usual gruff voice. “Found that spider bitch’s stash in the room, dunno how he even got to stack ‘em, but y’know, finders keepers.” </p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t help but give a laugh. <em> Sorry, Angel </em>. Heading over the cupboard, you took out a small glass. As you opened the fridge to get some milk, you realized that the carton’s content had already depleted. “Aww..” you pouted. </p><p> </p><p>Frustrated, you found yourself taking a seat across Husk and laying your face on the table, disappointed that your last resort to get drowsy was out of commission. “Shouldn’t ya be sleeping, kid? You look like shit, y’know more than usual.” he commented. </p><p> </p><p>“Can’t sleep.” You were getting grumpy at this point. Husk’s attitude wasn’t helping either. “Oh? Well, boohoo.” he mocked you. Giving him a glare, you sighed. “You’re so mean, I’m in pain.”</p><p> </p><p>“Physically?” </p><p> </p><p>“Emotionally.”</p><p> </p><p>Your answer made Husk roll his eyes. These damn kids. After a long pause, you heard the cat demon audibly groan. </p><p> </p><p>Within seconds, you felt the glass in your hand suddenly get colder. When you turned to see what happened, you realized that Husk had poured beer into it. “What--Why?” </p><p> </p><p>“If ya want to feel the pain in your damn heart physically, downing cheap booze and letting it burn your throat is one way to go ‘bout it, kid.” </p><p> </p><p>You were taken aback with what Husk just said. Is this his weird way of...comforting you? Although you weren’t too keen on consuming alcohol on a night when you’d have work the next day, you kind decided to just fuck it and let the cool, bitter liquid run down your throat in one go. </p><p> </p><p>Now it was Husk’s turn to laugh. “Sheesh, kid. Didn’t know you had it in ya.” </p><p> </p><p>The burning sensation you felt as the alcohol passed through your throat made you huff out and cough. “Had what? Stupidity?” you asked ironically. <em> Why the hell did you just down the whole thing in one go? That was too extra, you dork.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Your answer made Husk chuckle. “Oh, for sure.” he said as he started chugging down the other bottle of beer. </p><p> </p><p>Taking a looksie at your phone, you realized that you shouldn’t stay up for much longer than this. “I think I can get some sleep now. Thanks, Husk.” you said as you made your way out, to which the casino-themed feline just gave a nod. </p><p> </p><p>When you finally got upstairs, you noticed that the cool breeze was no longer there, and you could see that the door to the rooftop was already closed. Letting out a sigh, you decided to head to your room instead. However, as you were nearing your door, you heard a door from behind you open. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> A hand tightly grasped your wrist. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Stopping dead in your tracks, you saw that you were right across your room, which made you realize which door was the one that opened. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The guest room. </em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>...Well, you're in for it now. :&gt;c</p><p>Thanks for reading! This chapter is actually very personal for me, especially Reader's work situation. Like I said, this was a self-indulgent fic haha. So...yeah. Like Reader, my salary got cut in half, too... I'm...going through a hard time, and a way for me to ease through this is by writing. I really appreciate all the support that you guys have given me. I love reading through all of your comments! Thank you so much! Let me know what you think, if you had a fave part, or questions! Next update will be very soon, within this week. &lt;3 Take care and stay home, y'all! Quarantine as if you have Alastor with you at home ;) I know I wouldn't leave if he were here hahaha! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. I Don't Think We're There Yet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for your support everyone! Today's chapter is a very thick with tension ^^; <br/>⚠️WARNING! Graphic depiction of violence ahead!⚠️<br/> I ended up making a very lengthy chap. I hope you all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>However, as you were nearing your door, you heard a door from behind you open. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> A hand tightly grasped your wrist. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Stopping dead in your tracks as you saw that you were right across your room, you realized which door was the one that opened. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> The guest room. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> *~*~*~* </em>
</p><p> </p><p>And in a matter of seconds, you were pulled in. </p><p> </p><p>The sudden motion of being off the ground moments before being forcefully thrown on a soft, springy surface made you sick to the stomach. As you frantically fluttered your eyes open to understand your position, you found yourself enveloped in near-darkness--if not for the red glow that emanated from a certain deer demon’s menacing orbs. </p><p> </p><p>The sight terrified you, finding yourself backing off until you felt your body press against the cold, concrete wall. The guest room was small, but the pitch black surroundings made it seem like an abyss, you were unsure where to run...or <em> how </em>, even.</p><p> </p><p>“...Alastor..?” you managed to choke out. You were trembling; you didn’t know what brought him to suddenly act like this. As you waited for a response from him, all that could be heard was static. Starting off as faint, then grew stronger and stronger and <em> stronger </em> with every motion he took to move closer to you. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “Ah, fancy seeing you here, darling.” </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Contrary to the last time he greeted you with those very words, his voice was tainted with intense venom, sending you chills with every word that spilled from him. Not wanting to look his way, you closed your eyes and asked, “What...do you want?”</p><p> </p><p>A humorless laugh resonated throughout that small room, the creeping fear making it difficult for you to breathe. “If I may be so bold to recall, you’ve told me that it was <em> not you </em>.” he pointed out, placing weight on the last two words with much ire and irony. </p><p> </p><p>“However, my <em> darling </em> , I beg to differ. I may not have a hold of your soul now, but I can <em> feel </em> it. I can almost <em> taste </em> its <em> exquisite </em> character. <em> Your eyes </em> were able to say it all!” There was a certain roughness in his voice, like a starved animal not wanting to hold back its hunger any longer. </p><p> </p><p>There it was. You knew that he noticed your expression earlier this morning. You just <em> knew </em> he saw right through the trail of thoughts that you’ve so desperately tried to hide from them. He saw the conflict in your eyes, and the exact moment you gave into your own selfishness. He saw that <em> despicable attitude of yours. </em></p><p> </p><p>Opening your eyes, you brought yourself to speak. “...What...are you going to do..?”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“You’ve invoked a <em> thirst </em> in me.” Alastor spoke, his face mere inches from your face and his eyes half-lidded. “An intense, incomprehensible thirst that I cannot help but wish…” he trailed, letting his hand run on your shoulder before <em> digging his sharp claws into your skin </em> . “--to translate it by wanting to make you <em> scream </em>.” </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> And scream you did.  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>It was sweet music to his ears, he’s sure that this is what he was looking for. He wanted to hear more of you. You knew that look on him was never good news. Wincing from pain that stemmed from the pierced skin, you could feel the rivulets of blood begin to stain your shirt. The wound wasn’t too deep, it was just the shock of it that caused you to react so. You were in pain, but your mind was working in a <em> completely different way </em>. </p><p> </p><p>Given your situation, you were supposed to cave in from the fear being struck in your heart--but <em> a severely different feeling </em> has overtaken you upon hearing his words. Maybe it was the emotional exhaustion you felt today. Maybe it was the alcohol that you’ve so carelessly downed in one go. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Or maybe it was <em> your intense, incomprehensible thirst </em> that was <em> begging </em> to be <em> satiated </em>. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>All you knew was that all the wrong gears of your mind started to turn from the loss of inhibitions brought by the emotional toll you took all on this insufferable Monday. You have a myriad of problems to be dealing with, and this sick, <em> beautiful </em>, bastard was here to make it worse. Well, your exhausted, inebriated self was gonna have none of it tonight. </p><p> </p><p>Feeling that buzz, a certain heat that was brought from the alcohol you consumed and the pain that was assailing your shoulder--a burst of unfiltered, unexpected train of thoughts began running through you. Taking in what he said, you found yourself bringing your arms over his shoulders, your hands finding its way through the deer demon’s soft locks.</p><p> </p><p>“<em> Me </em> ? Invoke a <em> thirst </em> in <em> you </em> ?” you found yourself laughing. Pulling him closer, disregarding the pain that stung from your movement. “And now you want to make me <em> scream? </em>”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Bringing one hand to softly caress his cheek, you couldn’t help but giggle. “<em> Alastor, darling, I don’t think we’re there yet, but I like the idea.” </em>you spoke suggestively, wiggling your eyebrows in a playful manner. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> You...dumbass. </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Absorbing what nonsense just escaped your lips, Alastor was not able to stop himself from being caught off guard. <em> Did this just get set up in the wrong way? </em>The confusion your response brought him made him back off momentarily, as if the reaction you gave was so alien to him that he did not know what language to answer you with.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p> “...I--Wh--<em> Ah </em>…?” </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The sight that unfolded before you had sparked amusement in your heart. Did...the Radio Demon just...<em> stutter? Is he...at a loss for words? </em>The suggestive notion you placed right in the middle of his page of murderous intent caused him to fall blank. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> You could almost feel as if there was a Microsoft Windows XP error sound that plays before Alastor.exe is sent crashing.  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The static died into a ringing silence. The darkness that once enveloped you now lessened as you felt the door slowly creak open, letting faint light shine through. </p><p> </p><p>In that moment, you broke away from your amused trance and got awoken by the incredibly dangerous situation you just placed yourself into. Taking a look to your right through the corners of your eyes, you saw that the door was open. <em> This was your opportunity.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Not waiting for the deer demon to respond, your fight-or-flight response jerked you towards the door. As you neared the exit, you heard Alastor snapping back to his senses, the static returning. When you finally got out into the hall, you found yourself bumping into something...or rather, someone. </p><p> </p><p>“(N-Name)?! What happened to you?!” </p><p> </p><p>Looking up, you saw Charlie’s panicked expression meet yours. “We heard a scream...” As she helped you stand up, you winced once more. “...Y..You’re hurt.” Hearing Charlie point this out, you heard Vaggie audibly growl, seething with anger. </p><p> </p><p>Kicking the guest room door, you heard the moth demon shout. <em> “What the actual fuck, Alastor?!” </em></p><p> </p><p>As the Radio Demon began walking towards the door of the room to respond, you saw Charlie stepping in front of Vaggie and facing Alastor herself. At that moment, you saw it. </p><p> </p><p>Charlie’s once cheery smile disappeared. Her normally white scleras turned red, her irises white, pupils in a thin line. The gravest change that you could note, was the incredibly sharp and <em> intimidating </em> horns that sprung from her head. It was then you truly confirmed it for yourself. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> She really is the Princess of Hell.  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“<em> Alastor </em> ,” she spoke, her voice no longer sweet but laced with a light distortion that sent shivers down your spine. “ <em> Not another step. You will leave us be tonight.” </em></p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>You thought with Alastor’s power and status, he would simply let Charlie’s words pass through deaf ears. However, that was far from the case. Alastor was <em> forced to a halt </em>. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Giving a somber laugh from the effect on him, he spoke, “<em> That’s quite a power you have, Your Highness.” </em></p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>His sudden glance over to you made you tense up, which in turn made his grin grow wider. Conceding to the princess’ order, he took a bow and shut the door. </p><p> </p><p>The click heard from the door’s lock allowed you enough relief, causing you to once again drop to the floor as your legs numbed. Picking you up, the two female demons supported you on both sides, leading you to your parents’ bedroom, where they temporarily stayed. </p><p> </p><p>When they finally got you to sit on the plush bed, they first gave each other a look, as if having an unspoken conversation, before they brought their gaze back to you. Vaggie was the first to speak out. “What...happened back there?” </p><p> </p><p>You shifted uncomfortably on the bed. While you were finding the words, on where to begin, you notice Charlie sitting beside you to look at the blood-stained area on your shirt. Letting out a heavy breath, you answered, “I...Alastor pulled me into the room and...I...he….”</p><p> </p><p>“...This is exactly why I told you to be more wary of him.” Vaggie sighed, obvious concern on her face. Crossing her arms, she continued, “...Look, we’ve already noticed by now that you’ve been spending time with Alastor...but he only showed you a happy face to hide what he really is--pure evil. He’s not someone who could be redeemed.”</p><p> </p><p>As the moth demon spoke, Charlie brought you a change of shirts. You saw that it was one of your mom’s old ones, which you gingerly took from the pale demon’s hands. “Is it okay if we check…?” Charlie asked. You nodded, lifting up your shirt and letting slide up until your elbows, covering your chest.  Doing so revealed four red lines akin to a scratch, evident that a claw had dragged through your delicate skin. </p><p> </p><p>Charlie’s empathy caused her to wince at the sight of it. “Yikes…” Seeing their reaction sent worry over you, as well. “Is it that bad?” </p><p> </p><p>You could see Vaggie’s face crinkle, feeling her blood boil up again. “That bastard.” Placing a hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder, she asked the blonde demon. “You could fix her up somehow, right, hun?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well,” Charlie trailed, inspecting your wound. “It’s more of a scratch, nothing too bad. I can close it up, at the very least.”</p><p> </p><p>Stepping away from you, Charlie raised her hand just above your shoulder. You felt a strange warmth envelope the area, a tinge of red from the glow that began to coat your wound. There was a slight pang, as if you were getting pricked by a needle, but you braved through it by closing your eyes, trying not to disturb whatever the princess was conducting to help you. </p><p> </p><p>When the warmth finally dissipated, you opened your eyes once more, adjusting to the lack of that red tinge in your vision. You found your hand bringing itself to your shoulder. The skin still felt tender to the touch, but you really were patched up, the once open scars were covered by skin. “...Wow.”</p><p> </p><p>Charlie gave you a comforting smile. “You’ll still feel some pain, but at the very least we’re able to close the wound.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you,” After carefully putting on your mother’s shirt, your gaze shifted between the two female demons as you continued,  “Both of you.” </p><p> </p><p>They exchanged glances and answered you with a smile. Vaggie shook her head gently. “No worries, (Name). It’s the least we can do...we...were too relaxed the past few days...and to think we promised to keep you safe from them.” You saw her look down, guilt starting to overcome her at the thought. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>You waved your hands in front of you. “No, no. It’s alright. I’m to blame for this. I already knew how dangerous Alastor was, but I couldn’t help myself from being<em> so thirsty </em>--”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Vaggie raised an eyebrow at your choice of words, which caused you to catch yourself by adding, “--<em> thirsty for, uhm, knowledge. I let my curiosity get to me.” </em></p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Well, he <em> is </em> mysterious…” Charlie hesitantly agreed, making sense of what you just said. Sitting beside you on the bed, crossing her legs for a more comfortable position before turning to Vaggie to continue for her. The moth demon sat on your opposite side.  “...He is, but you know that saying, ‘ <em> curiosity killed the cat </em>’? We don’t want you to reach that point, (Name).”</p><p> </p><p>Touched by their concern, you gave them a soft smile. Nodding, you responded. “Right, I understand. It’s just that…”</p><p> </p><p>“...This <em> thirst </em> isn’t something I can get rid of overnight.” you admitted, nervously playing with the hem of your shirt. You silently hoped that they would take this in the concept that your thirst was just curiosity over Alastor’s enigmatic personality. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Vaggie was not too happy about your little confession. “...<em> Even if he broke Rule #5? </em>”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“I…” Your eyes widened upon recalling the rules you’ve set upon them when they first arrived at your house days ago. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>  “You’re not allowed to hurt me in any way.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> If you even try, it’s the sleeping in the streets for you.” </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Crossing her arms and looking away from you, she frowned. “Honestly, he should be in the streets right now.” </p><p> </p><p>“Vaggie…” Charlie called her out. The princess looked unsettled, unsure of how to react to this arbitrarily. Twiddling with her thumbs, she spoke, “...You’re right, but, I....I don’t think it would be good to let Alastor out there, either.” </p><p> </p><p>Pondering on what Charlie pointed out, you realized that it really wouldn’t be the best idea to kick Alastor out and let him wreck havoc onto poor, unsuspecting people outside. You saw how hard Charlie was trying to think of the best case scenario for everyone. “...Should he even think of trying to do so again, I’ll <em> give an order </em> immediately. But...we should ask (Name) about this…”  she said, gesturing at you. </p><p> </p><p>“W--...” You were suddenly snapped out of your train of thought. Running your hands through your hair, you could feel a headache coming on. You knew what you wanted to do. You knew what you wanted to say. </p><p> </p><p>“...I won’t kick Alastor out. I think it would be for the best if he’s here with us, at the very least we get to keep an eye on him. And, if Charlie has that kind of power that could make him listen, then...I think this is the best we can do...” you reasoned, trying to sound as fair as you could. It was true. Your reason was sound. It makes perfect sense. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Convenient for you, right?  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Of course, it is. Yes, you cared about the welfare of the innocent people living around you, who could fall victim to the notorious Radio Demon should he be set free to roam through their city. At a vulnerable time like this, where almost everyone was at home, it wouldn’t be hard for a heartless demon to wipe out family after family. </p><p> </p><p>Yes, you would feel responsible should it happen because you were the one who fostered them in your own home. Yes, your decision was definitely understandable, because it’s for other people’s sake. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> But is it, really?  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Is it? Are you really thinking about this for others’ sake? Don’t fool yourself. Don’t even try fooling your own subconscious on this. This isn’t for them. This isn’t for those innocent people out there. No. This is for <em> your selfish needs. </em></p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Because no matter how twisted it may sound, you were still holding on to the fact that you are that crazed, obsessed fangirl for that enigmatic, dangerous, and irresistible deer demon, Alastor. </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>It wasn’t the healthiest feeling. You were aware. You were aware that this is something that you should fix. That this was something that you had to get together and figure out quickly before your own feelings really cause that flame inside you to burn you alive. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Yes, curiosity can kill the cat, but satisfaction will keep bringing it back.  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>And that was the problem. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>For a good while, the three of you just sat there, not speaking a word. Vaggie had her eyes closed, brows knitted as she was heavy in thought. She couldn’t find a way around this situation right now. If they let Alastor out, it would be as if they released a force stronger and more terrifying than the pandemic itself. If they let Alastor stay, he could try hurting you again, and he might not just stop at you. He could hurt everyone else, Charlie included. </p><p> </p><p>Although Charlie had immense power within her, that she felt could rival Alastor’s, if not stronger...the princess also holds the largest heart among all the demons she has met. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> It was sad that the most beautiful thing about her was also her greatest weakness.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Charlie, on the other hand, was torn. For one part, she knows that Vaggie has all the best intentions for everyone. She knew that her girlfriend was very adept at seeing other people’s true colors. So she believes that Vaggie’s opinions are completely sound, and she wishes to support her. </p><p> </p><p>However, she also had to consider what you said. She does have faith in everyone, that everyone can still change in due time, but she knew that right now it will take a <em> lot </em>of work and time for Alastor to change. A cold-blooded serial killer that was able to bring carnage in Hell was definitely not an easy entity to deal with, especially for humans such as yourself and everyone else in the living world.</p><p> </p><p><em> And then there was you. </em>There was also something about you that they couldn’t pinpoint. Yes, you were very kind. You were kind enough to risk your life by taking all of them in. You were kind enough to treat all of them as if they were just normal people, as if they weren’t demons from hell. You were kind each and every one of them, Alastor included. You were kind to them. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> But does that make you a good person? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>They both know that they’ve just met you days ago. All you’ve shown them was nothing but kindness. Hospitality. Care. If it were any other human, they would’ve probably shunned them away. They would’ve probably tried killing them. They would probably never accept them--or even want to look at them for that matter. </p><p> </p><p>Yet, you accepted them. Not only that, you’ve given them a shelter to stay in. A bed to lay in. Food to feast on. You look at them straight in the eye. It was as if they weren’t demons when you spoke to them. Sure, you were frightened at first, but you were able to ease into their presence quickly. Albeit it felt all too...quickly, they appreciate it nonetheless. </p><p> </p><p>Time will only tell if they were truly in luck to have a host like you, but for now, both want to give you the benefit of the doubt. Right now, they want to be there for you, just as you were being there for them. </p><p> </p><p>Clearing her throat, Charlie turned to you. “Well, it’s...been a long day. I think it would be best for all of us to get some sleep. Yeah?” </p><p> </p><p>“Right. I should go…” You tried standing up, only to stagger and fall back into a seated position on the bed. “...Yeah...wasn’t the best idea to down the beer in one go.” you accidentally admitted aloud. From the way you were speaking, and thinking, you were finally sobering up, which was thanks from the recent events courtesy of Alastor. Although, when you get intoxicated, your body takes some time to sober up in sync with your mind. </p><p> </p><p>“You...drunk alcohol before all of that?!” Vaggie exclaimed, she was rather surprised as she didn’t peg you to be the type. Trying to bring light to the situation, she asked, “But why?”</p><p> </p><p>“I...couldn’t sleep. We ran out of milk…” You answered, trying to collect your memories. “..And, Husk offered me to try beer instead. So I did.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay, we really need to help you get your priorities straight sometime.” the moth demon pointed out, feeling a little bemused by your actions. “...You didn’t do or say anything reckless while  you were with Alastor, did you?” </p><p> </p><p>Charlie gasped, “Oh no, you didn’t make a deal with him while you were under influence, did you?! Please say you didn’t!” She pleaded, crossing her fingers wishing you have not done any of the sort. </p><p> </p><p>You gave an awkward laugh. “Ah, no. Don’t worry, no deals were made hahaha…”</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Although, looking back at it now, you find yourself thinking that you said and did something that feels worse. </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p> “<em> Alastor, darling, I don’t think we’re there yet, but I like the idea.” </em></p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Thinking back to that one, stupid line that escaped your stupidly inebriated self while...wiggling your eyebrows at him suggestively---was already fucking sending you through a shitstorm of embarrassment and discomfort. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You can’t believe you just said that to Alastor, the Radio Demon, while he was obviously filled with murderous intent for you.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Heat rushing up to dance around your stupid face in the form of an unsolicited blush, you found yourself bringing your hands up to cover it. Noticing this, Charlie asked with concern, “(Name), you okay?” </p><p> </p><p>“I’m...I’m fine.” you replied, not ready to admit what you’ve just done earlier. Giving you a reassuring smile, Charlie spoke, “Hey, why don’t you just sleep here instead? There’s still room on the bed!” </p><p> </p><p>“Charlie’s right, you should stay here. It might help you feel more secure tonight.” Vaggie agreed, giving you a warm smile, as well. You nodded in agreement. “Thanks, I’ll stay.” </p><p> </p><p>Your confirmation made Charlie feel giddy. “Yay! This feels just like a little sleepover!” The princess started bouncing on the bed, causing you to slightly get lifted off from the soft, springy mattress. </p><p> </p><p>“Hun,” Vaggie found herself chuckling. “You’re gonna send us all off the bed if  you keep bouncing like that.” Laughing, Charlie brought herself to a stop, which caused you two to fall back down on the bed in a flop from the sudden lack of motion. It was so silly, the three of you looked at each other, then laughed altogether. </p><p> </p><p>As the three of you settled down, you found yourself situated in the middle of the two demons. It felt comforting that they would make you feel secure like this. Their warmth offered you some solace, which was badly needed after a crazy day like this. Soon enough, you were able to drift off into a deep sleep. </p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>To say you had a good night’s sleep would be a lie. Every so often, in the middle of the morning, you find yourself waking up with cold beads of sweat trickling down your forehead and temples. You knew it wouldn’t be that easy to just shake off what just happened, but you were trying to brave through it. Eventually, you were able to stop yourself from breaking from your rest. </p><p> </p><p>When you fluttered your eyes open, you saw that there was sunlight seeping through the window blinds, illuminating the room with the soft rays of the sun. Charlie and Vaggie were still asleep, which was understandable because they stayed up later than usual due to the...little, uncalled for event last night. </p><p> </p><p>You gently slid out of the bed, careful not to wake the two, as they deserved the sleep. Lightly stepping onto the carpeted floor of your parents’ room, you winced. Rubbing your temples, you sighed. “Ah yes, of course I’d get a hangover.” </p><p> </p><p>You weren’t exactly a lightweight, you were actually able to hold your liquor well whenever you drank out with friends. However, that was because you knew to drink in sips, easing yourself with the alcohol intake. Now, when you drink beer a little too quickly than your norm--that’s when you feel the strange effects of intoxication on you. As you gave a small, soft yawn, you could feel the dryness run through your throat. </p><p> </p><p>Slowly, you made your way out of the room. You needed at least a glass of water or something. Making sure you made as less noise as possible, you gently turned the knob and exited the room. As you closed the door behind you, you let out a breath of relief. </p><p> </p><p>Scanning the hallway, you saw that all of the doors were closed. It must still be early in the morning, then. You felt yourself take in a sharp breath when you neared by a certain deer demon’s door. Luckily, it did not open this time as you passed by. </p><p> </p><p>When you arrived at the kitchen, you were half-expecting to see Husk to still be there, passed out from all the drinking last night, but it was empty. He must have figured that a soft bed was a nicer place to wake up with a hangover. </p><p> </p><p>Grabbing a glass from the cupboard, you looked into your fridge for a pitcher of cold water. As you were checking out which pitcher was colder, you heard footsteps of someone entering the kitchen. </p><p> </p><p>When you peered out to see who it was, you felt an instant serving of regret thrown into your hands. It was the <em> last </em> demon you wanted to see first thing in the morning. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Alastor.” </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Of all the demons to deal with after that night. It had to be him. Of course it had to be him! x'D</p><p>Thanks for reading! I really end up losing myself whenever I write, so I do hope that this still makes sense ^^; Let me know what you guys think in the comments! I really love hearing from you. If there are things I've missed, let me know, too! Follow me on Twitter flamehazelollipop @HHQWMD for sneak peeks, updates, etc! &lt;3 I really appreciate all the support!! &lt;3 </p><p>Take care and stay home, everyone! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. You Tell Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, everyone! Thanks for supporting this fic! &lt;3 Do follow me on Twitter flamehazelollipop @HHQWMD for updates, sneak peeks, fanart, and other QWMD, Alastor, and Hazbin Hotel related stuff! &lt;3 Thank you so much to Nevar for the really cute fanart of our Reader and her Quarantine crew hehe &lt;3 Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Grabbing a glass from the cupboard, you looked into your fridge for a pitcher of cold water. As you were checking out which pitcher was colder, you heard footsteps of someone entering the kitchen. </p><p> </p><p>When you peered out to see who it was, you felt an instant serving of regret thrown into your hands. It was the <em> last </em> demon you wanted to see first thing in the morning. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Alastor.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>*~*~*~*</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Of all the demons to deal with after that night, it had to be him. Of course, it just <em> had </em>to be him.</p><p> </p><p>You gave him one long look before you shrugged and brought your attention back to the contents of your fridge. Finally settling on the coldest pitcher, you brought the container out and placed it on the dinner table. </p><p> </p><p>As you were pouring water into your cup, you could see Alastor walk towards the cabinets, to check for what supplies you have left. You glanced over, as well, trying to take note of what to buy tomorrow on your trip to the grocery store. </p><p> </p><p>You would be fooling yourself if you insist that it’s only the supplies you were looking at. Of course, you wanted to look at that certain red-headed demon, as well.  Taking notice of his hair, however, sent you unwanted flashbacks of last night’s events--particularly when you tangled your fingers in his soft, smooth locks. </p><p> </p><p>Thinking about it caused you to blush, and mildly panic when you realize that your cup was already <em> overflowing </em> with water. <em> Ah, there’s the dork everyone knows and loves.  </em></p><p> </p><p>You let out a little yelp from surprise, frantically placing the pitcher on the table. The sound you made caused Alastor to turn around. He saw you frantically looking for a rag you could use to wipe the table with, which had a small pool of water threatening to spill to the floor. </p><p> </p><p>Picking up the dry rag that was on the counter in front of him, he gracefully slid over to your side and wiped it for you with his usual smile. You eyed him curiously, unsure if you should start this morning by bringing up last night’s...issue. “Thanks.” you murmured, uncertain of his intentions. </p><p> </p><p>While you were slowly drinking the ice cold water to soothe your dry throat, Alastor suddenly spoke, “Now that <em> that </em> mess is out of the way, how about we clean up our <em> little encounter </em> last night, <em> darling </em>?”</p><p> </p><p>You literally choked on the water. </p><p> </p><p>Coughing, you shakily placed your glass down on the table. After wiping the area around your mouth, you took a few steps back--no, you took all possible steps back until you felt your back hit the cupboard. Cautiously, you asked, “...Are we gonna talk about this like adults, or is this gonna hurt again--because if it’s the latter, I will shout for Charlie.”</p><p> </p><p>He laughed at your defensiveness, taking a step forward. “Dear, I am not really one to chase.”</p><p> </p><p>Hearing that caused you to raise an eyebrow, then you recalled reading somewhere that Alastor doesn’t really chase after victims that run away. A weird feature from his strange moral compass. </p><p> </p><p>You sighed. Well, it’s here now, so might as well get it out of the way. “Listen, Alastor...I really don’t know how or why you guys actually got here…”</p><p> </p><p>“I really wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t summon you or anything--but...I do think that...there’s a teensy possibility...that...I might...subconsciously...have an effect on the situation.” You began rubbing circles on your temples, feeling a bit pained from processing whilst trying to get over your hangover. That was as best as you could muster, from what you understood from the peculiar situation yourself.</p><p> </p><p>Static once again became audible. Closing in on you, Alastor bent down to meet your gaze. “Oh, I’ve already caught on that you yourself were not aware of such an effect, my dear. It does not really interest me anymore. I have <em>some other thing</em> of interest now” </p><p> </p><p>The proximity of your faces was raising an alarm for your inevitable blushing. Looking away, you asked, “I, uhm, I see. So, uhm, what <em> is </em> of interest now?” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“<em> You tell me </em>.” He brought his hand to twirl a lock of your hair in his finger and grinned. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Oh.  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Trying very hard not to just spontaneously combust from the incredible embarrassment that you might bring yourself should you handle this wrong, you gently disentangled your hair from his finger and moved to the side. </p><p> </p><p>Seemingly pleased by your reaction, he began taking out ingredients from the fridge and spoke, “What would you like for breakfast?” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “You.” </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p><em> Stop making the same slip-up twice, (Name). </em>Snapping out of your daze, you gave an awkward cough. “You...know any recipe to get rid of a hangover real quick?” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Your question caused him to stiffen for a split-second. His eyes started to flutter, as if what you said was so bewildering for him. Placing the plastic containers onto the countertop, he closed his eyes and laughed. “...<em> That’s what it was? </em>” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“Hm?” you tilted your head. What did he mean by that? </p><p> </p><p>Shaking it off, Alastor began placing back some containers and replaced them with other ingredients. Eyeing him closer, you saw that he brought out a small pack of spaghetti noodles, scallions, eggs, beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder...and <em> hot sauce </em>?</p><p> </p><p>“Uhm,” With a raised eyebrow, you pointed at the strange array of ingredients that you cannot determine what concoction it would result into. “What are you going to make, exactly?” </p><p> </p><p>“Yakamein, darling!” </p><p> </p><p>You squinted, not quite catching what he said. “Yaka--what?” </p><p> </p><p>The deer demon let out another radio-filtered laugh. “Yakamein, my dear. It might not make much sense for someone outside of New Orleans, but believe me when I say that Yakamein--or ‘Old Sober’, as we call it--is an absolute antidote for those who’ve had too much giggle water!”</p><p> </p><p>The enthusiasm in his voice unconsciously made you feel lighter. “I see. Thanks.” You found yourself taking a seat at the table, waiting for whatever Alastor was about to cook.</p><p> </p><p>It was these moments that really frustrated you. Clearly, both of you knew that something very wrong happened last night. The demon that he was, he physically hurt you, the scratch still tender and sensitive. If Charlie hadn’t patched it up last night, you would’ve probably had a hard time dealing with the open wound. Vaggie’s warnings constantly echo in your ears, reminding you that being alone with Alastor was most likely not the best, especially after what happened the night before. </p><p> </p><p>Yet, you just...can’t stop yourself.</p><p> </p><p>Like a moth to a flame, you couldn’t bring yourself to stop being enchanted by the perfection you found in Alastor. You couldn’t bring yourself to stop from trying to get close, even if doing so will risk you to burn your wings...or even end up fully engulfed by the fire yourself. </p><p> </p><p>You’ve had many obsessions in your life, but there was nothing that hit your heart the way Alastor did. There were millions of two-dimensional characters out there that had come and gone, all of which brought you an insane amount of joy, fangirl squealing, blushing, the works. But...as time goes by, you find yourself falling out of this infatuation and end up finding a new one. The cycle goes on. </p><p> </p><p>You wondered if it would be any different with Alastor. There was a part of you that worried about this horrible side of you. You’re a fangirl. Yes, you’re a fangirl.</p><p> </p><p>But your fangirl heart is a strange, mysterious, and <em> fickle </em>piece of you--honestly, there were times you found it hard to trust it, yourself. </p><p> </p><p>There were times, you must admit, that some characters online would catch your eye, even if you were outright obsessed with the red-clad enigmatic deer demon. However, for some god-forsaken reason...one look at him sends you falling back <em> hard. </em></p><p> </p><p>It was confusing. It was frightening. It was mystifying. It was all sorts of plain, clear-as-day wrongs that felt so inexplicably right. He was just...perfect. </p><p> </p><p>His beautiful red eyes that always seemed to make your heart melt whenever your gazes would meet. His soft, smooth hair that was strikingly red with dark-colored ends, was like a beautiful, delicious, chocolate-dipped strawberry. His cute and fluffy deer ears and his small antlers that you low-key wished your inebriated self had the chance to feel. His impeccable grooming, it was as if he was always so clean and sharp and just <em> ugh. </em> You don’t even want to get started on his smile. <em> Oh, his smile. </em> </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Why did his smile seem so close? </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“Eat up while it’s piping hot, sweetheart!” </p><p> </p><p>To your surprise, he was actually already right in front of you, his usual grin directed right at you. His sudden presence caused you to physically flinch, resulting in you hitting your knee on the underside of the table. You’re such an idiot.</p><p> </p><p>Turning your attention to the warm bowl that was placed in front of you, you took a whiff of the rich broth. Alastor sure doesn’t know how to disappoint when it comes to his home cooked meals. It seemed to be some sort of beef noodle soup, garnished with half a hard-boiled egg and chopped green onions. It looked <em> really good </em>. </p><p> </p><p>Shifting your gaze between Alastor and the yakamein, you decided to just dig in. For one, you were already hungry, and well, you were also hoping that it would really work wonders on that buzzing headache your hangover is gracing you with. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>It all took just one spoonful of the thing. One measly spoonful and you’ve already lost yourself. <em> This was so good??? How is this possible??? </em>Needless to say, you were hooked, taking in spoonful after spoonful. You could actually feel yourself feeling a lot less buzzed, and a lot more full of life. This yakamein was so...comforting. </p><p> </p><p>Contrary to what the cook of this dish would normally evoke from others, this warm bowl of yakamein felt so genuine, so consoling...it’s like, if the food could talk, it would be like a mother gently lecturing you for partying the night before and getting hungover the day after. The hot sauce surely gave it a little kick, just how a loved one would shoot you a glare for your bad choices...but deep inside, was truly concerned for your well-being. </p><p> </p><p>You found yourself looking at Alastor, who seemed to be very pleased by the way you were quickly chowing down on the bowl of yakamein. He always seemed so smug, knowing that everyone found themselves loving his cooking. </p><p> </p><p>The Radio Demon’s character was such an enigma. He had so many things going on with him, good and bad. You knew it leaned more towards the bad, but in moments like this, you just can’t stop yourself from...being captivated by his simple charms. </p><p> </p><p>Whatever game you knew he was playing with you, you knew it was no good. </p><p> </p><p>Yet, you still play anyways. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“This...was really great.” you softly commented, placing down your spoon in your now empty bowl. You didn’t really want to feed any more fodder to his ego, but you really had to give kudos for such a masterpiece. You felt livelier, a whole lot better than how you woke up earlier. “Thank you.” you added even softer. </p><p> </p><p>Alastor chuckled, his eyes closed. “So, tell me, how did you get yourself intoxicated last night in the first place, darling?” </p><p> </p><p>“Er, well…” Sighing, you brought your hands to your face, feeling another wave of embarrassment. “I...couldn’t sleep, so I went downstairs to drink some milk...but we were out of milk…”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, that’s right. I do believe I used up all the milk for the grits I made for breakfast.” Alastor admitted, cupping his chin as he recalled it. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, “And how did that result in getting drunk, dear?”</p><p> </p><p>“Husk was here last night, and well, he offered some beer.” you answered, suddenly realizing that you’ve made better choices in your life. Although, you really weren’t able to deny the fact that you were the one who chose to drink it. “And, uhm, I downed the glass in one go.”</p><p> </p><p>Bursting into a fit of laughter, the deer demon placed a hand to his stomach. “My, that’s news to me! Husk <em> sharing </em>--and giggle water at that!” He seemed very elated at the information. Truly, it was so entertaining. “--And you just gulfed it all at once? You have quite the gusto for the strangest things, darling!” </p><p> </p><p>You buried your face into your hands even further, trying to salvage yourself from the mockery that you brought upon yourself. Though, in the end, you found yourself laughing, as well. You don’t know if it’s because you found it silly now that you knew better, or if it’s because of Alastor’s contagious laughter. It was a complicated mix of both. </p><p> </p><p>When both of your laughter died down, silence enveloped the room. It wasn’t the awkward silence, either. It was actually...a <em> comfortable </em> one. You were just there right across him. He was looking at you, you were looking at him. </p><p> </p><p>You truly appreciated these kinds of moments. Just you and him. Without even needing words, with each other’s presence enough to speak for you. Yet, you knew. You knew that this will never always be the case when it came to Alastor. </p><p> </p><p>At the end of the day, he was still that unfathomable dealmaker that found entertainment in others’ struggles, fear, and suffering. He was still that ruthless deer demon that has killed many in the living world, and even more in the world of the damned. He has hurt far too many people; he truly did deserve to be in Hell. He even hurt you. You knew all these. </p><p> </p><p>Yet, you still felt that <em> thirst </em>. </p><p> </p><p>You were generally a very rational person. Thinking things through, weighing the morality of the way things were, calculating the moves you make, forecasting the consequences of each little action that you would undertake. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> But when it came to him, all rationalities seemed to fly out the window.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Just what is to become of all this, this strange situation brought by this <em> quarantine </em>? Ah, just thinking of the word somehow gives you a headache. This all stemmed from that word in the first place. You really can’t find yourself being fond of it. You knew that you were really supposed to be upset over the pandemic, which you were...but the by-product of it, this quarantine that has forced you and millions of citizens around the world to stay in their homes, has affected everyone so much. </p><p> </p><p>The only good thing you saw it brought was that you were now under <em> quarantine with-- </em></p><p> </p><p>“<em> Darling?” </em></p><p> </p><p>You snapped out of your thoughts when you heard him call you with your supposed term of endearment as a pretend couple. The way he rolled that word on his tongue sent you jitters, another blush threatening to invade your dorky face. There was something strange about the words that floated about earlier. “...<em> Quarantine...with…..darling…?” </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You felt a chill run up your spine for some reason.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Was the yakamein not enough to bring you back?” he chuckled, teasing the way you unconsciously drift off to  your own lalaland of thoughts. You shook your head. “N-No, it was enough. Thanks, really.” </p><p> </p><p>Standing up, you placed the bowl in the sink. Alastor stood up, as well. He noticed that there was a small, stray piece of chopped scallion that was stuck on your cheek. As he was about to reach his hand out to you, you were surprised to see a sharp object suddenly fly in between you two, causing both of you to jerk away. </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t fucking lay a hand on her, you bastard!” </p><p> </p><p>You turned to find the source of the threat. There at the kitchen door, you saw Vaggie and Charlie, both with concerned expressions on their faces. With the way their hair was disheveled and their breathing unsteady, it seemed they had rushed over downstairs.</p><p> </p><p>For a good moment, you heard static crackle in the air as Alastor turned to the two demons with a wider smile. “Why, good morning to you, too, ladies!” </p><p> </p><p>The moth demon scowled at the audacity Alastor had to greet them with such enthusiasm after last night’s events. Charlie placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to assess the situation. The princess saw that you were seemingly unharmed, and by the looks of it, you seemed to have eaten breakfast. What was going on here? “Are...you okay, (Name)?” </p><p>“Guys! I’m--I’m fine!” You frantically waved your hands. Walking over to the two female demons, you gave them a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, he didn’t do anything this time. I...we...talked.”</p><p> </p><p> “Talk? About what?” You saw Vaggie glare at you, visibly disapproving what you did. “About how that bastard fucking hurt you last night?!” </p><p> </p><p>Still keeping his grin, Alastor watched the three of you from afar. You gave him a glance before you brought your attention back to the two. “...Sorta. It--I...think it’d be best to drop it. I’d rather not...be reminded of what happened.”</p><p> </p><p>“(Name), you can’t just drop what happened. This is your own safety we’re talking about.” the moth demon told you, nudging her girlfriend to talk some sense into you. Charlie pulled you aside with Vaggie, distancing yourselves even further from Alastor. The princess let out a deep breath, “...Do you trust Alastor?”</p><p> </p><p>“What?” You were surprised by her question. Shaking your head, you replied, “...No, I don’t.” </p><p> </p><p>Charlie nodded, then asked you again. “...Do you...trust any of us?” </p><p> </p><p>You closed your eyes and sighed. “...No.” </p><p> </p><p>You saw the two of them look at each other, then back to you. Giving you a small smile, Charlie gently placed a hand on your shoulder, the one that wasn’t scarred. “I’m glad to know you don’t just throw your trust around. Not all of us may trust each other, but...I have faith in you. If you think you’re doing what’s right for you, then we’ll just watch after you.” </p><p> </p><p>“Charlie…” After giving them a long, thankful look, you gave them a quick hug. You felt both of the ease into it, with Charlie returning the hug by placing a hand on your back. Giving a lighthearted sigh of defeat, Vaggie returned the hug as well. Before she placed a hand on your back, however, she shot Alastor a glare, pointing from her eye to him as if to say, “I’m still watching you.” </p><p> </p><p>Just as you three were about to break off from the hug, you heard a groan. “Get out of the way, it’s 9 fucking AM and I’m hungover.”</p><p> </p><p>As you three broke away, you all instinctively turned to the complainant. Husk simply squinted at the three of you, who moved to the side to allow him to enter the kitchen. You all laughed, taken by surprise of the cranky cat demon. </p><p> </p><p>From afar, you could hear Alastor cheerfully greeting his friend in a loud voice, much to the other’s annoyance. “Good morning, Husker, my good friend!” </p><p> </p><p>“Shut the fuck up, you know I fucking hate noise when I’m hungover you son of a bitch.” Husk retorted, clearly pissed that the deer demon would do the one thing he knew he didn’t like.</p><p> </p><p>Alastor brushed it off with a laugh. “You’ll be pleased to know that I have just the stuff!” </p><p> </p><p>“Is it that yakasomething you always make?” Husk asked, squinting at the deer demon who was pouring broth into a bowl. Charlie and Vaggie have taken their seats, as well. You simply watched them from the kitchen entryway. Giving another groan, Husk asked, “It’s not made with alligator meat again, is it?” </p><p> </p><p>The question caused all of you to look at Alastor. You knew that he used beef, you saw him earlier. He used...beef, right? </p><p> </p><p>Placing three bowls onto the table, Alastor grinned. “Sadly, they do not have such fine delicacies available, my good pal! We’ll have to make do with beef, haha!” Hearing that made all of you sigh in relief. Honestly, it wasn’t the alligator meat in particular that alarmed you, it’s just that the thought of where Alastor would get it from, was more of the matter. </p><p> </p><p>Glancing over to you, Alastor asked, “Shouldn’t it be time for your work, darling?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, right!” You exclaimed, checking the time. Giving a quick, frantic wave, you spoke, “I’m gonna need to get ready.” Seeing Charlie and Vaggie nod, you flashed them a nervous smile and left. </p><p> </p><p>You ran up the stairs. When you arrived at the second floor, you took a sharp turn--and bumped into someone, causing a flurry of rolled up paper to scatter to the ground. “Oof! Uh--wha?” Looking down, you saw a small, one-eyed demon with fluffy pink hair. “N-Niffty?” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh gosh! You should really warn people before bumping into them!” the spontaneous demon commented, suddenly moving up and about to swiftly recover the rolls that she dropped. </p><p> </p><p>Eyeing her curiously, you asked, “Sorry...and uhm, what do you have there Niffty?” </p><p> </p><p>Once she finally gathered all of it, she gave you a big smile. “Oh, man! Just in time! I was actually about to ask you about all these really neat pictures!” </p><p> </p><p>“...Pictures..?” </p><p> </p><p>She nodded energetically. Giggling, she unfurled one of the rolls to show you its content. You felt yourself grow pale. </p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>
  <em> Your posters. </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Niffty, bby, no D:  </p><p>Thank you for reading! &lt;3 This chapter seems to be very tame(?) compared to the last one--Reader deserves it after the whole fright last night xD There will be some foreshadowing here and there :&gt;c Let me know what you think in the comments!! &lt;3 </p><p>Want to see/send fanart of this fic? Want to see some of my own illustrations of Reader's room, and other scenes? Follow me at @HHQWMD on Twitter! &lt;3 </p><p>Take care and stay home, everyone! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Be My Guest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"But if you really insist, be my guest."</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, everyone! Thanks for the support!! &lt;3 I feel really touched and motivated by all of your comments. :') I hope you all enjoy! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Once she finally gathered all of it, she gave you a big smile. “Oh, man! Just in time! I was actually about to ask you about all these really neat pictures!” </p><p> </p><p>“...Pictures..?” </p><p> </p><p>She nodded energetically. Giggling, she unfurled one of the rolls to show you its content. You felt yourself grow pale. </p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>
  <em> Your posters. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> *~*~*~* </em>
</p><p>
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</p><p>Your eyes went wide for a brief moment, taking in the sight before you. Initially, your heart was threatening to burst out of your rib cage from the embarrassment--but you found yourself with your mouth slightly agape at the poster. </p><p> </p><p>It <em> wasn’t </em> a Hazbin Hotel one. </p><p> </p><p>The realization brought you such an immense relief that you almost felt yourself staggering to one side. <em> Oh, you thought you would really spontaneously combust this time.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Bringing your attention back to the poster, you saw that it was a poster of that character you used to really like a few years back. The character was a squad captain of a special operations squad within a survey corps of a certain anime that dealt with fictional creatures called “titans” that threatened humanity. This specific character had straight black hair styled in an undercut, along with narrow, intimidating dull gray eyes with dark circles under them and a deceptively youthful face.</p><p> </p><p>A particular quirk about this specific character, was that he has an apparent obsession for keeping things spotless--a clean freak, if you may. This was made evident in the poster that Niffty showed you, which was a poster about how this character was wearing a white bandana over his head, and another covering his mouth, with two sticks that had strips of cloth on the ends--most likely used as a mop or duster. </p><p> </p><p>Niffty’s eye was literally shimmering with fascination over the character. Unable to contain herself, she jumped up and down with delight. “Oh! Oh! I really want to know who this beautiful man is! He definitely looks like my type! Who is this? Where can I find him? Where--” </p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t help but cover your mouth, yet allow a soft laugh to escape. It was quite the pleasant surprise, contrary to the unnerving knot you felt in your stomach just a few moments ago. This was definitely an adorable display that’s welcome in your eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Bending down to level with Niffty, you pointed at the character and smiled. “This guy’s name is Levi, he’s from a fictional show, from an anime.” </p><p> </p><p>“Ooohh! What’s this <em> anime </em> you’re talking about?” Niffty inquired, definitely intrigued to know more about the character she’s seemingly infatuated with. She rolled up the poster and decided to open the others one by one. It was relieving to know that it seems she has gotten a hold of your <em> old </em>posters. </p><p> </p><p>“It’s a show made up of an incredible number of drawings pieced together to make it look like they’re moving, animated.” you answered, trying to explain it as simply as you could. As she was inspecting the other posters to gawk at her new eye candy, you inquired, “Those posters, did you find them in my sister’s room?” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh gosh, right! I did! Sorry for just taking these, but I really couldn’t help myself. I found these all tucked away under the bed while I was cleaning!” she explained, albeit in a very quick pace. Luckily, you were able to catch what she said. You recall handing down your posters to your sister when she became fond of the show, as well, but she quickly grew out of it and stored it away, instead. </p><p> </p><p>You shook your head, reassuring her. “It’s fine, no worries.” Seeing Niffty’s eye shine as she opened each new poster. While she was doing so, however, you noticed a small piece of paper slip and fall to the floor. Squinting, you tried to focus your eyes to see what it was. It was a sticker of a certain deer demon, all dressed up in red, with that signature smile on his face. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You felt your heart drop.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Seeing your sudden change of expression, Niffty was about to look down to check what caused such a face. Panicking you stepped on the sticker and tried to distract her. “N-Niffty! Why don’t you, uhm, head downstairs--and I’ll let you watch the anime after breakfast?” </p><p> </p><p>This easily did distract her, another wave of squealing bursting out of her. “Oooh! Sure! That would be really great!” You smiled, then held out your hand. “Can I, uhm, have a look at these posters again? They were actually mine, and it’s been a while since I’ve seen these, so I wanted to check it out before I give it to you.” It was a weird excuse, but you just hoped Niffty wouldn’t prod about it. </p><p> </p><p>“Huh? Well, sure, okay.” Niffty replied, a bit confused by the request, but much to your relief, she easily got swayed by the last line you said. “--Wait, you’re going to give it to me?!” </p><p>“Y-Yeah, why not?” you awkwardly answered, trying to make sure she doesn’t remember the sticker that was on the floor. The pink-haired demon beamed at you. “Thank you! Thank you! I’ll head downstairs now--here!” She shoved the posters in your hands and ran down the stairs. </p><p> </p><p>Her spontaneous, energetic personality made you chuckle. Sometimes it slips your mind that she wasn’t a kid. You gathered the posters and enveloped them in one arm as you bent down to pick up that particular sticker. <em> That was so close. You forgot that you gifted a sticker to your sister, but she ended up misplacing it. So that’s where it was.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Sighing, you knew you only gave your sister one sticker, but you asked for the posters just to make sure. It’s better to check all the other posters just in case there were other stray Hazbin merch that got mixed in with the posters. As you just picked up the small sticker from the floor, you heard a familiar voice from someone who just arrived atop the stairs. </p><p> </p><p>“What do you have there, <em> darling </em>?” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Fuck.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Quickly grasping the sticker and hiding it in your hand, now balled into a fist, you found yourself abruptly standing up. “A-Alastor, uh, hey. Uhm, <em> it’s nothing </em>.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh?” He moved closer to you, a curious glint in his eyes. “When someone acts like that, it’s highly likely that it <em> is </em>something, dear.” </p><p> </p><p>“What? No no no no <em> no.... </em>” You denied frantically. Stepping away just as he steps forward, you look away to find an excuse. “It’s--uhm, an old photo of myself.” </p><p> </p><p>He laughed, reaching his hand out to your fist. “Well, now I’m definitely intrigued.”</p><p> </p><p>“No no no, it’s--” you tried hiding your hand behind your back. “--it’s a really ugly photo of myself from when I was younger.” Maybe if you tell him it’s nothing worthy of his eyes, he would leave it alone. He wouldn’t really want a photo of your hypothetical younger self.</p><p> </p><p>He hummed, then in an instant, he was already behind you. “Don’t sell yourself short, sweetheart.” You jumped when you heard his voice from behind you. Quickly turning around to face him, you felt your face reddening again. </p><p> </p><p>“R-Really! It’s uhm, really nothing special! I--” You stepped away from him, holding on to the sticker like your life depended on it. Out of frustration, you blurted out, “You wouldn’t like it!<em> I</em> <em>look like a newly unearthed potato in the photo!</em>” What did you just say, you dork?</p><p> </p><p>Alastor paused, bemused by your description before he let out a hearty laugh. “Hahaha! Oh, you’re such a treasure. You have a strange way of seeing the world, and your words are quite unique.” He smiled even wider. <em> He found this very entertaining. </em></p><p> </p><p>As he was reaching for you again, you felt panic rush over you. Letting your body just move by itself, you suddenly shoved your hand inside your shirt and placed the sticker <em> in the cup of your bra </em>. You felt bewildered by the stupid move yourself, but you tried to play it off with a triumphant expression, “Ha! Now you really can’t get it!.”</p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>“Oh, do you really think <em> that </em> will stop <em> me </em> , <em> darling </em>?” he asked you playfully, still approaching you ever so slowly. </p><p>
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  <br/>
</p><p>Your feet led you moving farther and farther back until you felt your body pressed against a wall, causing you to slightly wince from the still sensitive wound on your shoulder. Yet, the pain was the least of your worries at that very moment. With half-lidded eyes that seemed to give off a faint red glow, Alastor bent down and spoke in a softer voice, “<em> Or was this your intention all along? </em>”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p><em> Okay, maybe it really is time for you to spontaneously combust </em> . Your face was feeling so much heat that you felt woozy, and that never bid well for you. In your flustered daze, you found yourself wanting to <em> fight back </em> . Two can play at this game, <em> Radio Demon. </em></p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“No,” you managed to whisper out. Shifting your expression to a knowing, teasing grin, you continued, “but if you really insist, <em> be my guest. </em>”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Hearing that made him abruptly stop and turn around. With his back facing you, he laughed, radio static heavily lacing it. “You really are <em> entertaining </em> , <em> darling </em>. A lovely dame should not challenge a lad with something they’ll regret later on.” </p><p> </p><p>Before you could respond, he had already opened the guest room door and slammed it behind him. The loud sound caused you to flinch, as if you were woken up from a fever dream. With your free hand, you ran over to your door, unlocked it, and quickly made your way inside. </p><p> </p><p>Throwing the rolls of paper onto your bed and plopping down face first into the plush mattress, you felt your throbbing heart. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> What just happened?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You sat up and tried shaking it off, patting your incredibly warm face. <em> If Alastor keeps testing you like this, you don’t know how long you’ll be able to hold back.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Fanning yourself with your hands, you tried calming yourself down. Then, you suddenly felt a foreign object inside your shirt. Reaching inside it, you brought out the slightly crumpled sticker. </p><p> </p><p>Remembering who that character was, and realizing where you placed it, made all your efforts to calm down thrown out the fucking window. You scanned your room for where your books were. It felt so weird to not have Alastor’s posters plastered all over your walls, but right now it was helping you keep your sanity--so that was a smart move on your part. </p><p> </p><p>Locating your little bookshelf beside your closet, you took a thick, random book and inserted the sticker in between its pages to straighten it over time. The subject of the sticker in question may be the source of your frustrations, but he is still a source of many giddy, inexplicable feelings.  </p><p> </p><p>Wiping off sweat from your forehead, you placed the book back on the shelf. You walked back to your bed and meticulously checked each poster to see if it had any stray sticker, print, or anything stuck on the back or in between the rolls. Thankfully, there wasn’t anything. </p><p> </p><p>Grabbing a decent button-up blouse from your closet, your bag, and the posters all in one roll, you walked out of your room--making sure it’s locked before you head down, as always. </p><p> </p><p>Your eyes were unable to resist taking a glance at the guest room’s door. Feeling your blush creep up your face again, you brought your focus back on to heading down the stairs. </p><p> </p><p>When you got downstairs, you made your way to the kitchen to get yourself a glass of water. <em> You need to quench your thirst somehow, so maybe a literal solution to it would at least temporarily satiate the metaphorical one.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Entering the kitchen, you saw Angel was lazily eating up his breakfast. The two of you exchanged glances, but you were the first one to break away to get yourself a glass from the cupboard. You figured that the effeminate arachnid was too sleepy to make any side comments--or maybe he was hungover, too. It wasn’t unlikely. </p><p> </p><p>Placing all your stuff in one chair, you grabbed your favorite glass. When you finally got yourself a cold glass of water, you slowly drank down the ice-cold liquid. Midway, you heard Angel speak up, “With yer face like that, I bet ya went through some <em> steamy action </em>or something.”</p><p> </p><p>You literally almost choked on your water. <em> Again. </em></p><p> </p><p>What was it with these demons and waiting for you to drink water before they say something that’s bound to frustrate or fluster you? Ah, well, they’re demons, after all. Of course, they’ll be assholes even in the pettiest of ways. </p><p> </p><p>Coughing, you glared at him. Placing your glass down, you spoke in between coughs. “Of...course….not!” Your tone wasn’t very convincing. If anything, it only pulled you in deeper into the sinkhole. Trying to steady your breathing after the little coughing fit, you sat down on one of the chairs across Angel. </p><p> </p><p>He rested his chin with the back of his hand. “So uh, I heard what happened last night from the two goody-two-shoes...”</p><p> </p><p>Your face fell from the mention of it. Now, that was at least one way of making the blush disappear out of your face. Not the best way, but funnily enough, it does the job. Clasping your hands together, you sighed. “It’s...a long story, but I’m... we're...somehow okay now.” </p><p> </p><p>“Well, fuck.” he gave a sarcastic laugh. Standing up and walking over to you, he placed one hand on one shoulder and one on the other. Before you could ask him what he was doing, he suddenly gave it a pinch. “oUCH! What the actual fuck?!” you hissed, bringing your hand over to your left shoulder. </p><p> </p><p>“Ah, so it was <em> that </em>shoulder.” Angel laughed. Going back to his seat, he gave you a smirk. “Relax, bitch. I also heard Charlie patched ya up.” he reasoned, not apologizing for what he did. </p><p> </p><p>You rolled your eyes. The nerve of this guy, really. Lightly massaging the area near your wound, you shot another glare at him. “Well, yeah--but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt anymore, idiot.” </p><p> </p><p>“Ha! Look who’s talking.” Pointing a gloved finger in your direction, he continued, “Ya said you and Smiles were somehow okay now, but look at the damage. Still hurts, yeah?” </p><p> </p><p>Not meeting his gaze, you frowned. Finishing up his breakfast, he didn’t spare you a glance, either. “So, who’s the idiot here, huh?” he muttered before he took one last spoonful. </p><p> </p><p>“Unless,” After swallowing it down, a smug look spread across his face. “...ya find<em> pleasure </em> in the <em> pain </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>The instant blush that appeared on your face unwarranted brought a cheeky smile to the arachnid. “You’re a sick bitch.” he laughed. Standing up, you were defensive. Trying to find the words to clear your name, you ended up stuttering. “N-No, I’m not! I’m...I--” </p><p> </p><p>“Theeere you are! Weren’t you supposed to show me this ani-me?” Niffty exclaimed, tugging at your shirt. You gave a soft laugh. Her cuteness was helping you lighten up a little. “Right.” you answered, picking up the roll of posters and handing it over to her. “You go ahead to the living room, I’ll just gather my stuff.” </p><p> </p><p>Nodding, the one-eyed demon looked very excited, and literally rushed out of the kitchen in a cartoonish whoosh. Chuckling, you grabbed your bag and blouse. Sticking your tongue out to Angel, he rolled his eyes and returned the gesture. </p><p> </p><p>Before you fully left the kitchen, you paused. Without looking at him, you spoke just loud enough for him to hear. “Angel...thanks.”</p><p> </p><p>You heard him snort from your sudden seriousness. “Dunno what ya thanking me for, but whateva.”</p><p> </p><p>Letting your lips curl into a small smile, you stepped out of the kitchen to head over to the living room. There, you saw Charlie and Vaggie curled up together in one of the sofas. They looked so sweet. Husk, on the other hand, was curled up on the floor. The Yakamein helped soothe his hangover, but he still wanted those extra hours of sleep. Niffty noticed your arrival and went up to you excitedly. “Oh! Oh! Are you going to play it on the big small screen?” </p><p> </p><p>Raising an eyebrow at the term, you asked. “Big small screen?” </p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” the pink haired demon pointed at your TV. “We used to have small screens--but yours is a lot bigger than what we had!” </p><p><br/>Getting the gist of what she said, you nodded. “Ohh. Yeah, you can watch it on the TV.” Picking up the remote that was placed on the coffee table, you turned the “big small screen” on. Thankfully, you had a SmartTV, so shows on Netflix, or anywhere else online, were easily accessible on it. </p><p> </p><p>Seeing as the series was on Netflix, you settled on having her watch it from there for easy binging. “Here. You’re gonna need a chair. Levi won’t really appear until after a few episodes.” you told her. Nodding enthusiastically, she quickly dragged one of the chairs in the living room at a decent distance from the screen. </p><p> </p><p>As the tense opening scene began to play, you saw Niffty leaning forward, genuinely excited by the show unfolding before her. This wasn’t exactly the sweetest anime to start with, but from the looks of Niffty’s face from the gruesome acts on display, you feel like she is resonating with it really well. </p><p> </p><p>“Wow, uhm, what’s the show about?” Charlie awkwardly asked Niffty, curious of the tense and ghastly scenes that seemed to both terrify and intrigue her at the same time. The one-eyed demon answered her with the same explanation I gave earlier. Upon considering it, Charlie got Vaggie to watch along, as well. </p><p> </p><p>“I can actually understand what they’re saying! I can speak Japanese, too!” Niffty shared, smiling brightly, even when the scene was portraying the ruthlessness of the creatures that wreaked chaos and instilled fear among the people living within the walls of the fictional world. </p><p> </p><p>You felt amused by the situation. Seeing fictional characters watch other fictional characters feels so meta. Chuckling, you decided to prepare your work setup on the usual sofa and coffee table. </p><p> </p><p>Once you were done, you looked at the time and realized something. It was way past the time your shift starts! Panicking, you started checking your phone for any messages. That’s when it dawned to you that starting today, your work starts <em> after lunch </em> due to the compromised hours. </p><p> </p><p>It’s going to feel like a long day. </p><p>
  <br/>
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</p><p>One unproductive and hollow shift later, you found the three demons literally glued to their seats binge-watching the anime, especially Niffty and Charlie. Vaggie was a little less enthusiastic, but seemed hooked, as well. Things went really loud when Niffty’s much awaited captain showed up on the screen. She was literally <em> squealing </em>over his scenes. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Oh, you can’t wait to turn them into weeb trash like you.  </em>
</p><p>
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</p><p>As you were trying to hold back your laughter at the thought, a voice suddenly piped up extremely close to your ear. “What they’re watching on the picture show seems quite spectacular.” </p><p> </p><p>You instinctively jumped away from the source and covered your ear. Turning to the source in question, you saw the ever-present smile on your oh-so-favorite Radio Demon. “A-Alastor? Uhm, it’s yeah, it’s a good show. Did you come here to watch it, too?” you asked slowly. </p><p> </p><p>He shook his head. “<em>Darling, there’s </em> <em> something we’ve forgotten to do today </em>.” he told you. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“<em> Each other?”  </em></p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>At that moment, you wanted to punch yourself in the guts. Angel Dust just arrived at the scene and overheard what you said and just glared at you so hard, you felt like he would straight up murder you. Quickly bringing your attention back to Alastor, you hastily recovered. “--<em> G-Getting to know more about each other </em>, was what I meant!!” you gave an awkward laugh. That was your dumbest excuse yet. It's gonna be impossible for Alastor to buy that.  </p><p> </p><p>If glares could stab a bitch, you would’ve probably been dead with the intensity of Angel’s glare. Alastor, on the other, simply blinked a few times before responding. “<em> Oh </em> , <em> getting to know more about each other </em>! Haha!” His response was so strait-laced, not taking a single hint from what you said. This made the spider demon just look at him with disgust, facepalming. </p><p> </p><p>The deer demon shook his head, glanced at Charlie, then back to you. “As much as I’d love to know more about you, my dear…” </p><p> </p><p>“There’s a possibility that our stay here will not be for much long.” He told you, idly taking a lock of your hair in his fingers. “We have yet to try <em> opening a portal  again today, darling </em>.”</p><p> </p><p>The mere mention of it caused an uncomfortable knot in your stomach. It’s as if your heart forgot to beat for a second, for the scariest of reasons. Secretly, you curled your hand into a fist, so hard that your nails were digging on your flesh. </p><p> </p><p>“Right,” you answered through gritted teeth, desperately trying to keep your cool. Clearing your throat, you called out to the princess. “Charlie, weren’t you guys supposed to try opening a portal back to Hell today?” </p><p> </p><p>Your question caused Charlie to break her attention away from the television. Standing up, she made her way to you and Alastor. “I, uhm, right! Right...let’s try again today.”</p><p> </p><p>Muting the television for a more solemn setting, you watched as Alastor and Charlie stood across each other in the middle of your living room. With raised hands, they began channeling their power to open a portal to their...to where they belong. </p><p> </p><p>The ritual went on as how it usually did, red light enveloping the entire room, a colder air felt. On the floor, you saw a circle, red lines began forming a star. Each time they did this, you felt the same despicable feeling that you wished to repress. Yet, you couldn’t deny it. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Not yet. You don’t want them to go yet.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>As horrible as it made you feel, you began thinking if you really had an effect to their ritual with your sheer, selfish thoughts. Contemplating on it made you realize that you <em> wanted </em>it to be true...that you could control whether they can go or not. </p><p> </p><p>You felt like scum. </p><p> </p><p>For once, you began outright wishing on your lucky stars that their leave would get delayed. It was truly selfish, and you hated it. You hated the fact that you were weighing your own thirst, your own need for their presence more than their own interests. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> But hate the fact as you might, you still do it.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>However, will the world really be so kind to you? Do you really think that things will work out just because you want it to work out? That’s laughable. That’s laughable and you know it. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Truly laughable. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>True enough, you noticed that each passing day has caused their ritual to last longer, to connect stronger to the underworld. This was an undeniable fact that you cannot ignore, even if you wanted to put a blind eye on it so much. </p><p> </p><p>Yet, you can’t help but secretly hope. <em> Not today, please. Not yet. </em></p><p> </p><p>It was pathetic. </p><p> </p><p>As you were sinking deeper into your guilty conscience, you heard Charlie gasp. “That’s...That’s Pentagram City!” </p><p> </p><p>Vaggie’s eye widened. “W-What?!” She literally couldn’t believe her ears, much so that she went around the living room to get a closer look at what seemed to be a small hole slowly forming on the floor--allowing a small reflection to peek through--that of a city in a red-tinged world. </p><p> </p><p>And then, you heard the words you never wanted to hear that day. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “The portal is opening!” </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The world isn't so kind.</p><p>Thanks for reading, everyone!! &lt;3 Today's chapter was a strange mix of scenes, but I do hope you still like it :&gt; I find these small scenes necessary to build up to the big plotline hehe. Thank you again for all the support! Do follow me on Twitter flamehazelollipop @HHQWMD for updates, sneak peeks, and Alastor-thirsty content xD </p><p>Take care and stay home, y'all! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Dance With A Devil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for still supporting this fic 😊❤️ I've gotten busy for the past few days because of a deadline at work--but I managed!! Thank you for all your lovely comments!! Let me know what you think of this one ❤️</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>As you were sinking deeper into your guilty conscience, you heard Charlie gasp. “That’s...That’s Pentagram City!” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Vaggie’s eye widened. “W-What?!” She literally couldn’t believe her ears, much so that she went around the living room to get a closer look at what seemed to be a small hole slowly forming on the floor--allowing a small reflection to peek through--that of a city in a red-tinged world. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>And then, you heard the words you never wanted to hear that day. </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>“The portal is opening!” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>*~*~*~*</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>The mere mention of it made your blood run cold. Trying hard not to let them know you were trembling, you bit your lip. For a few moments, you felt the once cold air grow warm. Warmer. And warmer. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>It was coming from the portal. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Curiosity weighing more than your fears, as usual, caused you to bring your focus onto the floor. Without even thinking, you found yourself moving closer. Standing beside Vaggie, you peered through the hole on the ground, that reflected a dreary city down below. The portal only showed a small portion of it, but it was enough to let you see run-down buildings, sleazy districts, and all sorts of structures you’ve seen in the pilot. </p><p> </p><p>That’s Hell, right there. </p><p> </p><p>You looked at them one by one. Vaggie was on her knees, looking down at the city below. Her face was initially confused and in disbelief, but the sight of their so-called home slowly made her expression relax. Husk was now awake, rubbing his eyes to make sure that he wasn’t dreaming. Niffty was simply wide-eyed, her mouth slightly agape. Angel Dust had a bewildered look on his face. Covering his mouth, the arachnid looked away. </p><p> </p><p>Then you saw Charlie, who looked really hopeful as she stared at the city below. Hell is her home. That’s where she’s lived all her life. That’s where her family was. That’s...where she belonged ever since. </p><p> </p><p>And then, you looked at Alastor. </p><p> </p><p>You expected him to be staring down to the current subject matter, but just as you brought your gaze over to his direction, you saw it. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He was already looking at you. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You returned the look with a confused, if not terrified one. What game was he playing this time? It feels all too intentional. It was as if he was looking to see what kind of reaction you’d make from the sudden development. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>This bastard.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Little by little, the portal was growing. The more it opened, the hotter the atmosphere around you became. And all the more, so did the darkness of your thoughts. </p><p> </p><p>You recall the last time their attempt showed progress. Just as this instance did, everyone around you was hopeful. As natural as it was supposed to be. It was where they belonged, after all. They might not be living the best life down in Hell, but it was hard for them to think of lasting long in a place other than that. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>You knew this. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You knew this, you could see it. And yet, there you were, staring hard at the portal, wishing for it to disappear. You wanted it to snap shut, to just be a glimpse of what’s to come at...a later date, on a day you were ready. </p><p> </p><p>Because today, <em>you weren’t</em>. Not today. </p><p> </p><p>It was truly difficult for you to comprehend your own sick, twisted feelings. For one, you knew what was the <em>right</em> thing. Obviously, the right thing to do was to wish what was best for them, to support them on what they wanted. Supporting them, being happy that hope was finally shining in their eyes, in their hearts, that they could go home sooner. This setup was temporary in the first place, you knew it was bound to end at some point. To wish for their best interest was the <em>right thing to do.</em></p><p> </p><p>Right?</p><p> </p><p>With that thought set, <em>why weren’t you feeling it?</em> Why did your heart scream something else? You wanted them to stay. You wanted to live this fever dream for a little bit longer, even to your expense. Your everyday was disturbed. Your mornings have changed. Your personal finances were going to deplete quicker because of them. You were hurt. You were living with six demons that could easily kill you if they wanted to. This was a dangerous situation from the start. This posed no actual benefit for you whatsoever. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Yet, you don’t want them to go.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>As hard as society has shaped you, has ingrained in your mind that you had to strive to be a “good person”, there was a part of you that knew. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>You weren’t a good person. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Wanting your own selfish desires to be fulfilled, you couldn’t bear to wish for their best interests. All you could think about was yours. You wanted to spend more time with them. This was a situation that was obviously something that never really happens in a lifetime--but here you were, here they were. It wasn’t something you want to let go. <em>Being with all of them here--is literally a fangirl’s dream come true. </em></p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>Some fangirl you are.</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>The more you dwelled on it, the more you realized that the portal was reverting back. Seeing this caused you to step away.<em> Is...it really you who’s doing this?</em> Everyone else noticed the change, as well, much to their dismay. When all their hearts and hopes began to falter, so did the portal. It snaps shut, just as you wished it to be. Disappointed sighs echoed in the room. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I thought we really got it that time.” Charlie murmured, visibly upset. She found herself sitting down on the nearest chair, hands covering her face. </p><p> </p><p>Vaggie stood up and gave her girlfriend a comforting hug. “It’s alright, hun. At least we’re making good progress…” </p><p> </p><p>The rest immediately grew uninterested quickly, after the attempt ended with no success. Well, all except for a certain deer demon that has been eyeing you throughout the whole event. Feeling ashamed, you looked away from him. Charlie and Vaggie’s unhappy faces pierced guilt into your heart, it was a horrible feeling--but you knew you were the one to blame. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>You asked for this.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>As you were trying to numb yourself from these pathetic feelings, you heard Alastor speak to Charlie. “Lighten up, my dear! We have plenty of time to <em>figure this out</em>.” He stressed the last three words and gave you a chilling glance. </p><p> </p><p>You held your breath until you heard him laugh. “It’s not as if we’re missed by such loathsome sinners! Well, unless they miss the unfathomable pain that could be inflicted upon them. Haha!”  </p><p> </p><p>“You’re not really helping.” Vaggie hissed, standing in between him and Charlie, as if to protect her from even more mockery that the Radio Demon’s frankness entailed. Alastor simply kept his grin and left them alone to head inside the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>Approaching the two, albeit unconsciously, they looked at you. Rubbing your elbow, you softly tried to console them. “I...I’m sorry.” </p><p> </p><p>“(Name),” Charlie gave you a small smile, appreciating the comfort. “Thanks. It’s not your fault.”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>It is. </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Her words unknowingly stabbed you face front. You flinched for a moment, then returned the smile. “I’m...sure you guys will get back to Hell soon…” </p><p> </p><p>“You’re right.” Charlie nodded, slowly lightening up. As you were about to retreat to your room, with your office stuff in tow, you heard a sudden beep. Turning around, you saw Charlie frantically searching her pockets for something.</p><p> </p><p>Pulling out a light pink phone from her back pocket, she spoke aloud in confusion. “...Wh-What?” </p><p> </p><p>Unable to resist, you went over to them once more. “What is it?” you asked, fighting the urge to peer into her phone. </p><p> </p><p>The princess gave you and Vaggie a glance before turning her attention back to her phone. “...I just got a <em>text</em>.” </p><p> </p><p>“Is that even possible?” Vaggie asked, lightly brushing her hand on Charlie’s shoulder. “What does it say?” </p><p> </p><p>“...<em>.’Where are you?’</em>....was all it said.” Charlie responded, looking uncomfortable. For some reason, you found it unsettling. The princess’ partner cautiously asked her, “...Was it your mom?”</p><p> </p><p>Shaking her head, she frowned at her phone. “...It was dad.” </p><p> </p><p><em>Lucifer</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Just thinking of his name sent you <em>chills</em>, as if you got doused with a bucket of ice-cold water. For a good moment, you even almost forgot how to breathe. Lucifer was looking for his daughter. Of course, that makes sense. You knew that even if Lucifer wasn’t the best father, he still loved his family immensely. Lucifer wasn’t the king of Hell just for kicks. No. He’s the king for a reason. With the power and strength he held, even Alastor wouldn’t want to get tangled up in a mess with him. </p><p> </p><p>“I’ll try if a reply to him pushes through.” Charlie sighed, actually unwilling to do what she had claimed. Her relationship with her father had become rocky over the past few years. The biggest blow to Charlie’s heart was when her own father called her a failure. Being in a situation like this, locked up in a house in the living world, unable to find a way to go back to Hell, was all the more fodder for Lucifer’s disappointment in his own daughter. </p><p> </p><p>You nodded, then excused yourself to head upstairs. As you were about to exit the living room, you realized that Alastor was at the kitchen entrance, arms placed behind his back, a smirk donning his face. It seems he had been listening in on the conversation in the living room. </p><p> </p><p>That knowing look on his face made you pause for a moment, waiting for him to say something. He simply looked into your eyes, then closed his. Seeing as he didn’t seem like saying anything, you decided to make your way to the stairs. Before you take a step, however, he spoke up. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Are you sure you want to dance with the devil, darling?”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>You froze. </p><p> </p><p>He knew well enough how this all pieces together. If Lucifer ever finds out that you were the one keeping his daughter here, if he knew it was your own selfishness that had been holding them back, you were sure that he wouldn’t hesitate to erase your existence into oblivion. You were able to understand that much. Yet, no matter how life-threatening that meant for you, you <em>still</em> cannot bring yourself to give in. </p><p> </p><p>Your own thirst was like an inescapable urge to sin, something that latched onto your heart so badly that even if you knew you could do what was right--you choose not to. It was despicable. Why were you like this? You wondered if some other fangirl of theirs had the chance to have them in their home. You wonder, would they have thought of what was best for both the Hazbin crew and yourself? </p><p> </p><p>They might. </p><p> </p><p>Unfortunately, the predicament was not theirs to struggle with. It was yours. Only yours. Truly, you were horrible. It was...laughable. It was risky. It was stupid. It was wrong. Yet, who would you be if you weren’t all for doing this just for your insatiable desires? You couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. </p><p> </p><p>Looking at Alastor from the corner of your eyes, you replied,<em> “I think it’s a little too late for that. I’m already dancing with one, myself.” </em></p><p> </p><p>“<em>Oh?</em>” The deer demon’s eyes glimmered with amusement. “And how are you enjoying said dance, sweetheart?” </p><p> </p><p>Facing him this time, you felt a little courage kick up to you. “Color me captivated.” you answered with a smirk. </p><p> </p><p>He laughed at your sudden show of boldness. Stepping closer to you, he lowered his voice.<em> “I simply cannot wait to see your other colors, darling.” </em></p><p> </p><p>Then, all too quickly, your boldness just turned into a <em>shameful blushing mess</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Earning another laugh from the Radio Demon, you turned back to the stairs to high-tail up the steps. You had to save yourself from even more nerve-wracking exchanges. What just happened was just about at your limit.  </p><p> </p><p>As you were about to reach the last steps, you lost your footing and slipped--luckily, someone in front of you had grabbed your arm just in time. </p><p> </p><p>“For fuck’s sake, kid. You’ve got eyes, use ‘em.” A gruff voice commented. Steadying yourself, you looked up and saw Husk, an irritable expression plastered on his face. When he saw you were already up on your feet, he let you go. </p><p> </p><p>Making sure to hold onto the railing this time, you replied to him. “Sorry. Thanks, Husk.” </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, whatever.” he rolled his eyes. He took notice of your red face, and it was obvious it wasn’t just because you almost slipped and fell down the stairs. Squinting at you, he asked, “Did that deer bastard say something to you?” </p><p> </p><p>“N-No! What? What--of course not! Hahaha..ha..” You awkwardly defended, waving your hand to dismiss the thought. He wasn’t convinced in the slightest. Groaning, he began walking past you down the stairs. “Lemme tell ya something, kid.” </p><p> </p><p>You turned around to look at the cat demon, waiting on him to continue. “At the end of the day...we’re still <em>cold-blooded demons</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>The emphasis he placed on the fact caused an uneasy feeling inside you to stir. “...I know.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>For most of the dinner, it was apparent that the atmosphere was a little less spirited than usual. You could tell that it was still the aftermath of the event earlier. Despite their liking for Alastor’s food, everyone other than yourself and the deer demon finished up their food quicker than they normally would, as they have not mustered much appetite after today’s flop. </p><p>Charlie and Vaggie went upstairs to head to bed earlier, Angel and Husk were each holding a bottle in hand. The effeminate spider demon tried to seductively invite the latter to drink with him, but was immediately rejected. Both of them went back to their room, but hostility from the cat demon was enough for the arachnid to back off...for the moment. </p><p> </p><p>Niffty, on the other hand, just tried to drown herself in her new anime addiction, continuing her binge watching in the living room. She...hasn’t blinked in a good while. </p><p> </p><p>Everyone felt a little off, but it was understandable. You can’t blame them. You only have yourself to blame. </p><p> </p><p>Trying not to let the guilt eat you, you decide to proactively chow down on your meal. The Radio Demon, seated right beside you, found amusement in your silly display. </p><p> </p><p>His radio-filtered chuckle captured your attention. Still in the middle of chewing, you found yourself turning to him. Gracing you with that signature smile of his, and his perfect, red eyes, you could not help but become entranced by him again. His charms were undoubtedly a strong force to be reckoned with, and quite honestly, you didn’t mind losing into it. </p><p> </p><p>Noticing your lingering gaze, Alastor tilted his head. “Enjoying your meal, darling?” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Which one?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Raising an eyebrow at your absentminded response, he replied to you with a bemused smile. “I only made do with red beans and rice, sweetheart. There isn’t much to work with right now.” </p><p> </p><p>Snapping back into reality after the straight response from the oblivious deer demon, you laughed nervously. “Oh! R-Right! I--uhm...regarded the red beans and rice to be separate--but uhm, yeah, uh I’ll be restocking tomorrow...it’s a grocery day tomorrow, so, yeah….” you rambled, sinking deeper into your seat. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Fuck your thirstiness. Why are you still not getting the hang of this, this ‘not being obvious’ thing? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Not wanting to fall into another thirst-stricken daze, you excused yourself, as well. “I’m, er, gonna get some sleep now.” you said as you headed for the kitchen door. </p><p> </p><p>“Sleep well, my dear.” Alastor called out, giving you a small wave as you left. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>After everything that happened today? You did not sleep all too well that night.</em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>After a few hours of tossing and turning in your bed out of restlessness, you finally drifted off to dreamland. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>And then, morning came. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>You groaned when sunlight hit your face, signalling that it was already a brand new day. Although you would want to sleep in on days like this, especially after you had just gotten off of a mere few hours of sleep, you knew you have no choice but to get up. There was only a certain timeframe for residents to go out for groceries during the quarantine. </p><p> </p><p>Checking the time on your phone, your eyes instinctively squinted from the sudden brightness. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>7:20AM</em>
</p><p> </p><p>You let out another groan. Grocery time was set from 7:30AM to 10:30AM. Judging from previous experiences, you have learned that it would be best to head out as early as you could, because the lines get longer and longer as the morning passes by. </p><p> </p><p>Not only did that entail more waiting time for the impatient bean that you are, it also meant the risk of exposing yourself to more people. You found it really risky on your part, so from then on you made it a point to go out as early as 7:30AM. </p><p> </p><p>After you hastily got ready, you grabbed some decent, casual clothing, along with your bag and a facemask. Making sure you had everything you needed, you left your room, locked it, then headed downstairs. </p><p> </p><p>Upon arriving at the final step, you could see Niffty asleep on the sofa, the TV still playing the show. <em>She seriously binged it until she passed out.</em> You couldn’t help but softly laugh as you turned off the TV. At least she’s not asleep on the floor. </p><p> </p><p>On your way to the front door, you suddenly heard a voice from behind you. </p><p> </p><p><em>“Ah, allow me to join you.”</em> you heard a familiar voice. Turning around, you saw the red-clad demon emerging from the kitchen with a wide smile on his face. </p><p> </p><p>You shook your head. “It’s alright, I can handle the groceries for today.” you told him as you turned back to the front door. </p><p> </p><p>A laugh was heard across the room. In a split-second, you felt a looming presence at a dangerously close proximity behind you. </p><p> </p><p>You let out a sigh. Really, you could handle the groceries for this week. About to convince him once more, you turned around to face him, who was already just a step away from you. “Alastor, I told you I--”</p><p> </p><p>Taking in the sight before you, you realized that it wasn’t the red-haired deer demon--but a tall, fair skinned man with hazel brown eyes framed with oval-shaped glasses. Just as he appeared as last time, he wore a white dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up halfway. He fashioned light brown vest and a bowtie in a darker shade of brown, which was the same shade of his slacks. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Alastor was in his human form.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Unable to resist being starstruck over the beautiful man in front of you, you just took a step back as he took hold of your hand with a sly grin on his face. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>“I wasn’t really asking for your permission, darling.”</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It was more of a statement, or an order, (Name).</p><p>Thank you for reading!! I'm so happy you guys are still into this fic 😭💖 I really appreciate all your heartwarming support, messages,<br/>comments, fanart, everything huhu.</p><p>For this chapter, I wanted to delve deeper into Reader's thoughts more. I wanted to tackle how it really is possible to develop a kind of toxicity out of our fangirl thirstiness. It's not something we want, sometimes it's something we can't help but feel or exhibit---but at the end of the day, we have to realize that there are consequences to the actions we take.</p><p>Serious topic aside---gROCERY CHAP UP NEXT 😭💖👌 If you follow my Twitter @HHQWMD, I'm sure you've heard that I have been dying to post the grocery chap for so long now 😭 After all the heaviness in the recent chaps---we nEED FLUFF 😂💖👌</p><p>Thanks again, you guys! You're the reason why this fic is still going :") Let me know what you guys think by leaving a comment!! 💖💖</p><p>Take care and stay home, everyone!! 💖</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Magic Doors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, everyone! Sorry this chapter came in later than expected;; I had a few setbacks at work, and got a little sidetracked with other stuff--but!! I'm happy that there are still people looking forward to this fic. I initially planned the grocery chapter to just last one chap, but it looks like this will be a two or three-parter x'D whoops! Let me know what you think of this chapter!! Thank you for the support!! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
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</p><p>
  <span> “Alastor, I told you I--”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Taking in the sight before you, you realized that it wasn’t the red-haired deer demon--but a tall, fair skinned man with hazel brown eyes framed with oval-shaped glasses. Just as he appeared as last time, he wore a white dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up halfway. He fashioned a light brown vest and a bowtie in a darker shade of brown, which was the same shade of his slacks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Alastor was in his human form.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unable to resist being starstruck over the beautiful man in front of you, you just took a step back as he took hold of your hand with a sly grin on his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I wasn’t really asking for your permission, darling.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*~*~*~*</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, no matter what version Alastor is--why does he always have to look so </span>
  <em>
    <span>delicious</span>
  </em>
  <span>? This is so...illegal. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pulling your hand away from him, you cleared your throat. “Alastor…” you began, wishing that the others were here to dissuade him--but it was just you, him, and a sleeping Niffty within the area. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Knowing the deer demon, the best course of action would be to just let him join you, as long as he’s willing to follow what you say. “...I’ll let you join me...on the condition that you comply with every protocol imposed for going outside during the quarantine...sound fair?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm…” he cupped his chin, as if contemplating on the matter. “Fair enough.” Stepping back, he hummed. “So, what are these so-called protocols?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, first of all, you have to remember that once you go out there, you have to practice social distancing. You have to keep around one or two meters of distance from other people, even from me.” You explained, looking at him for reactions. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alastor chuckled. “Well, staying away from other humans would be easy. I wouldn’t want to catch whatever disgusting sickness they might carry.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were about to let out a small laugh from the attitude he exuded from his comment, when he suddenly pulled you to his side. “But </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, my </span>
  <em>
    <span>darling</span>
  </em>
  <span>, why do I have to stay away from you while we’re out? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Aren’t we--de facto lovers?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He asked, teasing you by poking your cheek. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“I--wh--” You stuttered. Glancing back at him, you realized he was smirking at you. Does he really want to play this game so early? Well, fuck yeah you would want to. “I don’t really want to get arrested,” you managed to answer as you lightly pushed him away. Looking up to him with half-lidded eyes, you continued. “Besides, there are a lot of</span>
  <em>
    <span> other things</span>
  </em>
  <span> we can do as </span>
  <em>
    <span>de facto lovers </span>
  </em>
  <span>if that’s what you want.” </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment he was stunned, unable to process a witty reply to your remark. Clearing his throat and shrugging it off, he looked to his side to avoid meeting your victorious, smug face. “What else do I have to remember?” </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The fact that he just ended up changing the subject instead of responding to your suggestive comment made you lightly chuckle. “Well, you have to have this with you all the time when you’re outside.” Digging through your bag, you took out two cards the size of your palm, encased in a plastic holder. Handing one to him, he curiously took it in his hands to read its contents. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Quarantine pass?” he read aloud in a questioning tone, prodding you to give an explanation. You nodded. “Only two people from each house at a time can go out. They have my parents’ names, but as long as you have an ID it’s---</span>
  <em>
    <span>hold on</span>
  </em>
  <span>…” you stopped, knitting your brows. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm?” he raised an eyebrow at your sudden pause. You dug in your bag again and brought out a thicker plastic card that had a photo of you. Seeing this, Alastor snatched said card from your hands and held it up within his eye level--and away from your reach. “Hey!” you called out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He laughed, marvelling at your formal photo, which was quite a refreshing sight compared to your usual casual appearance. Glancing down at you, who was already tiptoeing and even jumping to reach for the card, he smiled wide. “My dear, things like these are mere child’s play.” he told you, flicking his wrist and producing a </span>
  <em>
    <span>second card</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seeing it happen before your eyes caused you to stop reaching for it, a surprised look on your face. Honestly, you shouldn’t be surprised since you were trash enough for Alastor to know that he could do stuff like that on a whim, but seeing it in real life was quite fascinating. “Woah...right...magic…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He lowered his hand to give you your ID back. This also allowed you to peek at the ID he just magically poofed into existence. It looked so authentic, it had his photo, his name---your eyes grew wide when you realized you’d be able to see his </span>
  <em>
    <span>last name</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, there was a streak of light that was covering it. You moved from side to side to try and see it clearer, but the light seemed to follow suit. You huffed in frustration, which earned a chuckle from the man holding the card. Squinting at him, you pouted, “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I simply have </span>
  <em>
    <span>no idea</span>
  </em>
  <span> what you’re talking about, darling.” he answered with a grin, placing his ID in his pocket. Rolling your eyes, you decided to give it up. “Fine, fine.” There went your chance to know something that was not yet revealed in canon. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How cruel. </span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anyways, next would be…” you trailed, a little softer. Eyeing him from head to toe, you crossed your arms. “Uhm, can you...not wear the vest and bow tie?” you asked shyly, scared of how he would react to your request. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And, you were pretty much on point with your concern, because he looked totally appalled by the thought. He let out a light gasp, but still kept his signature smile. “Dear, why would I do such a thing? My attire is good as it is!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, yes..” you softened when you saw his face. He was very proud of himself for always looking dapper and presentable, you knew that. Twiddling your thumbs, you continued, “But I don’t really want to attract that much attention towards us. Honestly, it would be better if you wore a shirt and jeans--”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hearing that apparently disgusted him, as it seems he would not be caught dead wearing such clothing. Understanding that, you waved your hands. “--but, but, I know that would be too much, so if it’s okay with you, just your dress shirt and pants are good enough.” </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Alastor closed his eyes and actually let a soft sigh of frustration escape his lips. Snapping his fingers, his vest and bowtie disappeared. Although you knew that the demon did not like this one bit, you were definitely taking the opportunity to gawk at him while he was closing his eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alastor without the vest and bowtie...oh, it seriously feels out of character for him, but you could not resist. You still thirst for him either way. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Any more</span>
  <em>
    <span> absurd</span>
  </em>
  <span> requests, darling?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the tone of his voice, he was almost close to considering not to join. Well, it would do you good for him to give up on it, since it would be less of a risk...but you wanted to see how far you could push these buttons.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...</span>
  <em>
    <span>One last thing.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He peeked at you, as if he was sure he would not like to hear what that last thing was. You were trying hard not to laugh at this cute display. This man can be such a </span>
  <em>
    <span>baby</span>
  </em>
  <span> sometimes. Cautiously, even slowly backing away from him, you spoke once more. “...</span>
  <em>
    <span>You have to wear a face mask.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Now</span>
  <em>
    <span> that</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that one line literally sent Alastor’s smile to actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>falter </span>
  </em>
  <span>for a split-second. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Similar to a sort of glitching effect, you saw the demon switch in between his Radio Demon and Human form as he took a step back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Are you seriously asking him to cover his </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>smile</em>
  </b>
  <b>?</b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gathering back his composure, he let out a loud laugh. If Niffty wasn’t sleeping so deeply from pulling an anime marathon all-nighter, she would have probably woken up from this. Wiping a nonexistent tear from his eye, Alastor clutched his stomach and grinned at you, as if you told him one of the biggest jokes he had ever heard in his life. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“HA! </span>
  <b>
    <em>No.</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Laughing nervously at his response, you took a deep breath and replied, “Then, you</span>
  <em>
    <span> can’t go out</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He squinted at you, like, really </span>
  <em>
    <span>squinted</span>
  </em>
  <span> in annoyance. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Why not?!” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>As much as you love Alastor, his stubbornness was starting to get to you. You glanced at your wristwatch then back at him. “Alastor, everyone is required to wear a face mask--even if you’re not sick or anything--it’s for everyone’s peace of mind that we have one on.” </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m a </span>
  <em>
    <span>demon</span>
  </em>
  <span>, darling. I don’t exist to</span>
  <em>
    <span> give </span>
  </em>
  <span>everyone else peace of mind, my desires include </span>
  <em>
    <span>destroying</span>
  </em>
  <span> it!” he reasoned, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You rolled your eyes, a headache was threatening to come up from the conversation alone. “Well, Mr. Demon, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>wish to have peace of mind when going out--I don’t want to encounter any trouble when we’re outside. Is that really too much to ask? Because if it is, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>, just stay here and I’ll be back soon--we’ve already </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasted half an hour</span>
  </em>
  <span> and the lines are gonna get longer as we waste time here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Silence. That does not really bode well for you. For all you know, he could just force his way to head outside as the Radio Demon and just lash out at everyone that was along the way. Yet, for Alastor, it simply wasn’t an entertaining thought at the moment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sighing, you walked past him and approached one of the small cabinets in your living room, beside the television.You knelt down to open a drawer, which contained different kinds of face masks that you had gathered before the quarantine. The surgical masks were your go-to, but you did have fabric ones that had different prints. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then you saw it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a black mask made out of cloth, with a strikingly wide grin printed on it. The grin was actually similar to how Alastor’s smile was drawn--which was pretty much the reason why you bought the thing. You grabbed the mask, still inside a plastic pack, and closed the drawer. When you turned to your side, you saw Alastor giving you a questioning look. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Standing up to pat the dust off of your knees, you walked back to him. “Here,” you lamely told him, handing out the mask to him. “I...I know this isn’t exactly your style, but it’s the best I could do right now..” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a tight-lipped smile, he accepted the mask in his hand. Taking a better look at it, he realized what you meant. He let out another laugh. “This is quite </span>
  <em>
    <span>silly,</span>
  </em>
  <span> darling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>You felt embarrassed because of his remark, feeling instant regret from even suggesting such a thing to him. However, you heard him snap his fingers and in an instant the mask was on his face...and on</span>
  <em>
    <span> yours</span>
  </em>
  <span>, too. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But, it’ll do.”  he gave in, chuckling. Even without seeing his actual smile, you just knew he was snickering at your appearance. </span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>“Uh, why do I have to wear one, too?” you asked. You already had a disposable surgical mask in your bag that you could use, so you didn’t really see the need to put a fabric one on. He bent down to meet your eyes, his own faintly glowing of red for a short moment. “If I’m to subject myself to this </span><em><span>silly prop</span></em><span>, my </span><em><span>darling</span></em><span>, it would be appropriate for </span><em><span>my</span></em> <em><span>lover</span></em><span> to match with me, right?”</span></p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes, love…</span>
  </em>
  <span>” you murmured after getting lost in his eyes yet again. When you saw him tilting his head, you realized your fuck up and immediately countered with, “Yes, love--love the idea, right, uhm, that makes sense ahahahaha!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He chuckled at your awkward response. He slid past you to open the door, and gestured to you to go out first. “Shall we go, darling?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh boy.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Stepping outside was definitely refreshing, for your eyes at least. Honestly, being cooped up at home all the time, seeing the same things can saturate you. So, it was a nice change of view to see your familiar neighborhood--albeit empty, without a single person in sight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Well, this place is certainly not as lively as I pictured it to be.” Alastor could not resist saying aloud as the two of you were walking, with you a few steps ahead. You turned around to glance at him, seeing that he was looking around, taking in the sight of this unfamiliar territory. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The streets used to be bustling with people up and about, children gleefully playing tag, friends walking home together, families heading out for a day at the mall, you name it. But then, then this pandemic happened...and it pretty much turned your area into a ghost town. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Placing your hands in your pockets, you responded, “It’s...a tough time to be alive, Alastor. The streets aren’t lively mainly because we want to stay alive for longer.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, yes,” he replied, stepping towards you. “But for how much longer will you live so cowardly?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You turned around and continued walking, a little faster this time. “We’re not doing this because we’re cowards. We’re doing this because we want to live. Those are different things. There are things we can’t stop, but at the very least we can try to control.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And this,” you paused, gesturing at the empty street. “This quarantine is the best we could do right now to control it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He kept up with your pace, not fazed by your sudden change of speed. “For someone who wants to follow this quarantine, you sound incredibly upset about it, my dear.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You sighed. “I am. I hate this stupid quarantine. I wish this whole pandemic never even happened. All of us here could be living a better day right now if it weren’t for this.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Think of it this way, darling.” Alastor said as he walked past you and stopped a few steps ahead. As he turned around to face you, you brought yourself to a halt to keep your distance. It was really unusual to see him with just the face mask to get by, but his eyes were quite expressive. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>If this whole quarantine fiasco never happened, we might not have crossed paths!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>His statement stunned you for a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>He...wasn’t wrong.</span>
  </em>
  <span> The whole reason you were at home that Saturday was because you weren’t allowed to go out. Had there been no quarantine, you would have been at your friend’s house for a little get-together that you guys had planned weeks before. You wouldn’t have been alone at home, your family might have been there. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You...might not have even thought of making that one wish, that one aimless request to the world, for them to be with you, if things had gone in a different time.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>This might not have happened at all. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>You might not have met any of them, if everything didn’t fall into place. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The air felt a little thicker than it was. Your mask was able to conceal most of your face, hidden behind a wide grin print, but your eyes were just as expressive as Alastor’s had been. Although, your eyes had a different emotion. It was anxiety-riddled, afraid of losing whatever you had right now, even if you attained it in the most surreal of ways. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With their access to Hell, via the portal, imminently growing stronger and stronger with each attempt, it would only be a matter of time before their own powers surpass the selfishness that resided in your heart and mind. That being said, there were a lot of matters for you to worry or even think about. Yet, amidst all this, you could not find yourself thinking straight. You only knew one thing at the moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You wouldn’t be ready for them to go. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Breaking away from your thoughts, you saw Alastor walking farther and farther ahead of you. Seeing it stung you, and it made your eyes slowly water. Unconsciously, you found yourself catching up to him and grabbing his dress shirt from behind. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He flinched, but you spoke before he could turn around. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t go…</span>
  </em>
  <span>” you softly asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a slight tremble in your voice, Alastor took note of. Usually, he does not appreciate being touched by others unless he initiates it. He was used to invading others’ space and dragging them along without needing to ask, but he was very averse to being touched himself, or anything that was on his person.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You should not have been an exception to this rule, yet...he will let this one time thing slide. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>When you realized what you had done and said, and upon seeing that Alastor had not moved a muscle, you panicked and abruptly let go of his dress shirt. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You fucking grabbed Alastor’s dress shirt without consent. That was a fucking death wish. You knew he would not like it. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Trying to find an excuse, you looked around and saw a small supermarket to your left. That wasn’t really the grocery store you frequented, but that will do. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“S-Sorry! I--uhm, I meant, don’t--</span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t go that way!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” You explained, stepping back with every word. Pointing at the supermarket to your left, you awkwardly continued, “The, uhm, the grocery store is that way ahahah…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He found himself laughing, amused that </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>was the reason you said such a strange thing. “Lead the way, my dear.” he told you, giving a little bow as a display of faux chivalry. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>When you arrived at the supermarket, you saw Alastor curiously studying the infrastructure’s colorful exterior. This supermarket was a bit more on the higher class, considering that it was surrounded by high-rise complexes owned by the wealthier citizens in your neighborhood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Honestly, you tend to avoid this supermarket from the sheer price hike of products you could’ve gotten for cheaper at your usual--but you were here now, so your own pride was on the line should you back out--and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely </span>
  </em>
  <span>don’t want to see Alastor jeering at you for it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When you stepped in front of the store entrance, the automatic doors began to slide open. It wasn’t really new to you, you’ve seen a couple of malls have this feature. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alastor, however, seemed to be a little...awestruck.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How peculiar,” he cupped his chin, observing the glass doors that began to slide back into place. He steps over to where you stood, causing the doors to slide open once more. Amused by this, he steps aside. The door begins to close, but before it does, Alastor conducts his little experiment by extending a hand in front of you. With the sensors picking this up, the door slides apart. “Do they use magic on the world above now?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>kidding</span>
  </em>
  <span> me, right?” you squinted at him. Bewildered by his strange behavior, you couldn’t help but laugh. “What? There aren’t any automatic doors in Hell?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Automatic doors?” he repeated as he continued messing with the sensors to activate the door. You brought your palm to your cheek, unable to resist giggling as you watched Alastor’s eyes glimmer with amusement at a </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking automatic door like a little kid</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wow, like, for a murderous deer demon--he can be such a dork. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You raised your hand and pointed at the sensor bar above the entrance. “That sensor detects movement from people, and when it does, it activates the door to slide open. It’s not magic, it’s just technology.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hearing your explanation definitely rained on his parade, because he immediately stopped. “Oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>technology.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he commented sourly, his pupils turning into thin lines. It seemed as if the mere mention of the word reminded him of certain...dislikable things. If you recalled correctly, he does not particularly like technological innovations that came to after his era. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Apparently, he seemed to want to live up to that trait, albeit a little unwilling this time after his short-lived fascination for the door. You wanted to tease him about it, but you did not want to die today. You can be fucking dumb at times, but now just wasn’t the time. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Smiling behind the face mask, you walked through the door and entered the supermarket, ushering Alastor to follow. He shrugged and waited for the door to open again, trying to hide the fact that he was still amused by it, despite being a product of technological innovation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What greeted him inside the building, however, was a whole different story. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While it was a fairly sunny day outside, the blaring lights of the mall were to a different degree--much so that Alastor had to blink for a few times before adjusting his eyes to the sudden brightness. He also noticed that it was a bit colder now, which made him fold his arms for some warmth. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glancing at you, he noticed that you were unfazed. “My dear, you’re used to this kind of thing?” he asked, tilting his head. He could not wrap his thoughts around being in a place that was too...pristine and bright. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You rolled your eyes. “Alastor, I kinda live in this neighborhood.” You led him towards the grocery cart rack, which was being sanitized and wiped by employees. It seems they were making sure that each cart was clean before each use. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Taking a cart, you began navigating your way inside the actual grocery, with Alastor keeping up with you. “You don’t go to supermarkets in Hell?” you idly asked, focusing on not bumping into other shoppers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There weren’t many people, which relieved you. It was one thing to worry about being around people that could carry the virus, but it was a whole other thing to worry about </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alastor being around other people</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was his turn to laugh at your silly question. “I prefer picking my ingredients myself, darling. Forests, simple markets, and...</span>
  <em>
    <span>other </span>
  </em>
  <span>places that I refer to for </span>
  <em>
    <span>culinary resources</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” The tone is his voice for that last bit alarmed you for a good moment, remembering that Alastor had...a </span>
  <em>
    <span>certain taste</span>
  </em>
  <span> for specific...</span>
  <em>
    <span>meat</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But hey, you weren’t here to judge. It wasn’t your fault that you had to be obsessed with a murderous deer demon cannibal from Hell. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You just...happen to do so. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Riiight.” You trailed as you approached the vegetable aisle. Wanting to change the subject before he starts considering you as a </span>
  <em>
    <span>prospect meal</span>
  </em>
  <span>--which, you would have actually wanted him to feel if it wasn’t so</span>
  <em>
    <span> literal</span>
  </em>
  <span>--you directed his attention to the array of fresh produce. “So, uhm, since you do most of the cooking at home now, feel free to choose which vegetables would be good for our meals for the next two weeks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, splendid!” He exclaimed before sorting through the different greens displayed. “I was contemplating on cooking up some wonderful meals, and we had just run out of onions, celery, and bell peppers!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just place enough that would last us for a week, okay?” You called out to him as he was moving to the farther end of the aisle to get the other ingredients he needed. It was really softening to see Alastor be so ridiculously endearing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There are many sides to Alastor, quite a number you’ve already seen from the show and firsthand, but despite it all, he never ceases to capture your heart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt very...lucky. Of all the Hazbin Hotel fangirls out there, it had to be you. It just had to be you who was given the opportunity to meet them, live with them, be with them...All this still felt surreal. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yet, here you were, grocery shopping with the Alastor himself. This domestic life scene has you feeling </span>
  <em>
    <span>so fucking soft</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You wouldn’t give up getting to watch your beloved deer demon choose which onion was bigger or better--fuck, he would be just staring into </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing </span>
  </em>
  <span>and you would </span>
  <em>
    <span>still </span>
  </em>
  <span>think, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>this man right here is so illegally delicious</span>
  </em>
  <span>”. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For all that it was worth, you were beginning to think that you were glad Alastor had asked--well, insisted, that he tag along this grocery run. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“(Name), is that you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>You heard a familiar voice from behind you. Turning around, you saw a girl around your age, with one hand on her grocery cart and another holding up her phone. When you finally saw the design on her phone, your blood ran cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“(Friend’s name)?” you asked, stepping back. When she nodded, you had come to realize that one of the worst case scenarios had come into play. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>You care about your friend a lot, and you were supposed to feel ecstatic that you had seen her--as you had not seen each other since the quarantine started--but...but there was </span>
  <em>
    <span>one big problem </span>
  </em>
  <span>about this certain friend</span>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She’s a Hazbin Hotel fan.  </span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Welp, time to hide, Reader. </p><p>Thank you for reading! &lt;3 I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I know it comes off a little technical at first, but I really just write this fic as I imagine it--and even though the nitty gritty things about quarantine protocols aren't as exciting, I wanted to really see how it would be to get Alastor in on all this. So yeah x'D </p><p>Looks like a new player has entered the scene. Even I feel anxious just knowing my friend could literally spill everything you desperately tried to hide. </p><p>Especially your...thirst. Oho! :&gt;c</p><p>Please let me know what you think of this chap in the comments. It really means a lot to me. Thank you for reading! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. In Case You Forget</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, my darlings! Sorry for the long wait ( ; w \ ) My work has eaten even my free time, and I have a lot of pending stuff this week so this chapter came in really late huhu. Thank you so much for still supporting this fic. This chapter is a bit of a rollercoaster, so I hope you'll still like it. Let me know what you guys think in the comments!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>“(Name), is that you?” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>You heard a familiar voice from behind you. Turning around, you saw a girl around your age, with one hand on her grocery cart and another holding up her phone. When you finally saw the design on her phone, your blood ran cold. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“(Friend’s name)?” you asked, stepping back. When she nodded, you had come to realize that one of the worst case scenarios had come into play. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>You care about your friend a lot, and you were supposed to feel ecstatic that you had seen her--as you had not seen each other since the quarantine started--but...but there was <em> one big problem </em> about this certain friend <em> . </em></p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> She’s a Hazbin Hotel fan.   </em>
</p><p> </p><p>*~*~*~*</p><p> </p><p>This <em> cannot </em>be happening. </p><p> </p><p>You have prepared yourself for scenarios that involved Alastor’s strange behavior should the two of you encounter any strangers or random citizens while you shopped for groceries--but you had failed to plan for encountering any acquaintances other than your neighbor. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Especially not a close friend who knows and shares the same obsession you had for a certain...deer demon.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“(Name), you okay?” your friend asked as she tilted her head. Blinking repeatedly, trying to get yourself together whilst finding a way out of this situation before Alastor notices. “I--er, yeah! Yeah, ahaha..I’m...fine. So, uhm, whatcha...doing here?” </p><p> </p><p>Your friend lifted up her shopping basket and softly laughed. “Well, same as you, duh. I’m just on a quick grocery run.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, haha! Of course.” You awkwardly laughed along with her. Her eyes crinkled as she pointed at your face mask. “Nice mask, I have a good hunch why you bought that. I wish I had one.” she teased before she looked back on her phone, then back to you excitedly. She was about to step closer to  you, but remembered that she had to keep her distance and stopped herself despite her giddiness. “Speaking of which--<em> did you watch it yet?! </em>” </p><p> </p><p>Oh, whenever your friend uses that tone of voice, you were sure it was something related to her favorite shows. Raising an eyebrow, you lowered her voice and inquired. “Watch what?” </p><p> </p><p>Despite her surgical mask covering most of her face, you saw her eyes twinkle before she answered. “The French dub! Vivziepop uploaded the French fandub of Haz--”</p><p> </p><p>“--<em> Haz...Has </em> anyone ever told you that you are an <em> amazing </em>person, you! Hahaha!” You cut her off before she mentions that certain hotel. Her eyebrows literally knitted together from confusion. You knew what she was referring to, you’ve seen a notification of it on your phone earlier, but you had to place it on hold because of your limited grocery time. </p><p> </p><p>Honestly, if it were just you and her--<em> without the presence of a particular deer demon who was supposedly a fictional character of said show you two obsessed about </em> --you would have been <em> squealing and jumping </em>with her, while still safely keeping your distance. </p><p> </p><p>But, you were, unfortunately, here with said deer demon disguised as a human being. </p><p> </p><p>“What the hell are you on, girl?” Your friend took a step back and squinted at you. “You’re not sick or anything, are you?” </p><p> </p><p>Her accusation made you laugh. “No no, sorry. I...I just meant that you are an amazing person for, uhm, bringing that up! Yes, uh, I’ve seen that it was uploaded earlier this morning, but I’ll be watching it after my grocery run here hahaha…” you explained, giving your shopping cart a light pat. </p><p> </p><p>Accepting that you sometimes malfunction even as your awkward potato self, your friend gave you a nod. “Right, right. I can’t wait for you to watch it. Guess which character I’ve fallen for again after hearing his voice in the French dub?~” She trailed, her tone playful. <em> Shit </em>. You knew who it was, and you will immediately drop dead if she says his name aloud.</p><p> </p><p>“AL--”</p><p> </p><p>“<em> A LOT </em> of people are lining up the cashier! Look! Maybe we should hurry!” You told her hurriedly, moving closer to her, causing her to step away from you. Noticing this, she raised her hand in front of you, signalling you to stop. “Whoa, whoa. (Name), seriously. <em> Something </em>is up with you. What’s going on?” </p><p> </p><p>Panic suddenly striking you internally, you aggressively shook your head and looked away. “N-Nothing! Nope, e-everything is fine! What do you mean? I’m--”</p><p> </p><p>“--Hey, that guy over there…” She interrupted, subtly moving her head to the side to inconspicuously get a better look. You directed all attention back to her, and well, along with your anxiously speedrunning heart, when you saw her eyeing the tall brown-haired guy taking his time inspecting vegetables. </p><p> </p><p>If this pandemic wasn’t a thing, it would’ve been so easy for you to just cover her mouth and drag her away from Alastor. But, alas, this global situation has posed even more obstacles in your life than you had initially thought. </p><p> </p><p>Lowering her voice, which you were thankful for, she whispered. “He looks really cute. Tall, handsome--”</p><p> </p><p>“--He’s wearing a mask, (Friend’s Name). H-How would you know if he was handsome?” You pointed out skeptically, trying to cover up the strange tinge of conflict in your voice. <em> Of course, that guy over there is handsome. He’s handsome. Beautiful. Magnificent. Delicious. He’s Alastor. That fact alone was more than enough to explain that he’s literally the epitome of  perfection.  </em></p><p> </p><p>She chuckled, admitting that it did seem silly to assume so. Yet, she wiggled her eyebrows and lowered her voice further. “I’m sure you’d be the one to sense this first, but, doesn’t he give off...<em> Alastor </em> vibes?” she giggled. </p><p> </p><p>You felt your blood run cold. </p><p> </p><p>“W-What? Psshhhh. Nooo...I totally don’t see it. I don’t know what you’re talking about hahaha!” you defensively blurted out, your raised voice causing you to not hear the gasp from the man behind you. </p><p> </p><p>Suddenly, you felt someone place a hand on your shoulder and exclaimed, “(Name), darling. I found the <em> PERFECT ONION </em>!” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Fuck. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Immediately, you brushed off his hand and turned around. Alastor backed off by a few steps, recalling that he had agreed to follow the protocols. He may have been a serial killer that has struck fear and suffering amongst many under his power, but he is still a man of his word. Albeit strange and questionable, his moral compass guides him nonetheless. </p><p> </p><p>Although you appreciated his sudden realization, the matter of hand was not him entirely--but your friend. </p><p> </p><p>Completely flabbergasted, your friend was wide-eyed, as if she had forgotten how to blink. Sharply turning to you, she spoke, “You...<em> You two know each other? </em>”</p><p> </p><p>“<b>No!</b>--I mean, <em>sorta, kinda</em>--<em>uGH</em>...<b><em>Yes!</em></b> <em>Yes...we...know each other…</em>” Your answer was a complete flurry of indistinguishable emotions. Honestly, you didn’t know what you were supposed to do first. </p><p> </p><p>Were you supposed to stop <em> Alastor </em> from saying anything else? </p><p> </p><p>Were you supposed to stop <em> your friend </em> from saying anything else? </p><p> </p><p>Were you supposed to just change the subject back to <em> grocery shopping </em> or <em> onions </em>?</p><p> </p><p><em> Were you supposed to just up and leave and like, </em> <b> <em>nope</em> </b> <em> your way outta there?  </em></p><p> </p><p>A part of you wanted to just do the last one you thought of, but you knew that wasn’t the smartest path. You gave Alastor a hard stare, which initially intended to come off as ‘<em>don’t you dare say a single word </em> ’---but when you saw that <em> mischievous </em> glint in his eyes appear, you immediately softened and looked at him with pleading eyes that said, ‘ <em> please don’t say a single word </em>’. </p><p> </p><p>Placing her basket down, your friend crossed her arms. “(Name), you’re acting really weird, girl. I know we’re both socially-awkward potatoes, but seriously, what’s going on?” </p><p> </p><p>You bit your lips, then sighed. Gesturing her to move to the side, as some other shoppers were about to check out the stall beside you two, you took the opportunity to step a bit further away from Alastor. “...Look, we do know each other...the truth is....he’s...actually….” </p><p> </p><p>As you were struggling to get the words out, a random shopper began sauntering over to Alastor. It was a well-endowed woman, seemingly a few years older than you, and seemingly...very flirtatious. </p><p> </p><p>“Hey, cutie~” she greeted him in a loud voice, both hands on the handle of the shopping basket in front of her, trying to accentuate her chest further by having her arms push them together. Fluttering her insanely long eyelashes, she continued, “I haven’t seen you around here before. Wanna head over to my place and do something<em> fun </em>this quarantine?”</p><p> </p><p>Both you and your friend whipped your head over to the shameless woman and her feeble attempt to seduce the tall brown haired man. Alastor laughed and shook his head. With a little bow, he replied, “Thank you for the offer, madam. But, I would have to decline! You see, I…” </p><p> </p><p>At that, he began walking over to where you and your friend were. His eyes were glimmering, you just <em> knew </em> he was smiling--no, <em> smirking </em>--almost mirrored to the one on his mask. Standing a few steps beside you, he held out his hand as if presenting you to her. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Oh no. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>With enthusiasm, and a voice a little louder than he should have, he spoke, “<em> I already live with my lover here! </em>”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Oh fuck. </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>All three of you had your eyes wide. And, funnily enough, all three of you exclaimed at the same time.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p> “<em> WHAT?! </em>”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Your friend turned and pointed a finger at you. “(Name), why are <em> you </em> surprised?! <em> I’m </em> the one who’s supposed to be surprised here--are you serious?! You--You have a boyfriend?! And--And you’re <em> living with him?! </em>” </p><p> </p><p>Placing a hand on her hip, the older woman was obviously upset with what she heard. Glaring at your friend, she spoke, “Oh fucking shut your mouth, bitch! No one cares about <em> you </em> ! <em> I’m </em> the one who’s supposed to be fucking surprised--and <em> disgusted </em> here!” She laughed mockingly, bouncing her gaze between you and Alastor. “You’re fucking <em> kidding </em> me, right?! <em> You </em> --and <em> that little bitch </em> ? Oh, you could do <em> much better </em>than that.” </p><p> </p><p>Before you could bark insults back at her, your friend was already right on it. “Hey! Why don’t you watch your mouth? Your attitude sounds even worse than the pandemic itself!” She defended you. “My friend might have kept this a secret from me--and I’ll probably juice all the facts out of her later--but I’m pretty sure she’s a lot nicer--and <em> cleaner </em> than you’ll ever be, <em> old hag. </em>” </p><p> </p><p>The older woman’s laughter abruptly stopped when she heard what your friend called her. Her eyes darkened as she began walking closer to you two. “I don’t fucking care if I’ll catch that damn virus, I’m gonna<em> fucking slap the fuck out of you, </em> you little bitch---” </p><p> </p><p>“--Oh, you wanna<em> fucking go?! </em>” Your friend started stepping forward, as well. Seeing as the situation is turning out for the worst, you begin panicking. “Wh-Whoa, whoa hold on--” </p><p> </p><p>You turned to Alastor. Unable to mouth ‘help’, you let your worried eyes do the talking. He let out a chuckle. Snapping his fingers, a distraction was put into action. Suddenly, the older woman’s basket began to sway beyond her control, and as a result, she accidentally hit a whole shelf of glass bottles of ketchup. The sound of the glass bottles breaking alarmed the store employee walking by, who saw the woman just in time as she hit the shelf. </p><p> </p><p>While the older woman was being interrogated by the employee, you, Alastor, and your friend made your exit, walking over a good distance away from the scene. Man, maneuvering a shopping cart during an escape is so fucking difficult, and fun, funnily enough. When the three of you settled on an empty aisle far away from the little incident, you and your friend stopped and caught your breaths. The three of you looked at each other, then laughed. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“Oh god, what the hell happened there?” (Friend’s Name) laughed, clutching her stomach with one hand and trying not her other hand to let go of her basket. Containing your laughter, you looked at Alastor through the corner of your eyes and responded, “...A convenient accident?” </p><p> </p><p>Getting a hold of herself, your friend straightened up. “It sure was! That old hag got what she deserved!” Then, she cleared her throat. “--But you’re still not in the clear, (Name)!” </p><p> </p><p>You sighed. “Yeah, yeah… I’m sorry.” </p><p> </p><p>Nodding your friend snorted. “You better be sorry! Why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend? And that you--you two are living together?! It’s like I don’t even know you anymore! What has this quarantine done to you?!” </p><p> </p><p>“<em> Oh...this quarantine has done a lot to me. </em>” You answered her softly. Realizing that your friend only registers Alastor as your boyfriend--and not the human version of the beloved red haired, red-clad Radio Demon deer you two are obsessed about--you decide to try salvaging whatever secret you could still keep for everyone’s sake. </p><p> </p><p>That is, until she asked, “So, <em> what’s his name? </em>” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Oh no.  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Turning to your friend, Alastor gave a small bow and began to introduce himself. “It’s a pleasure meeting my darling’s friend! I’m Al--”</p><p> </p><p>“--Al! He’s Al! My, uhm, boyfriend! Ahahah…” You interjected, masking your lies with an awkward laugh. Alastor seemed surprised by your interruption, but just brushed it off. He supposed questions are due for later. </p><p> </p><p>(Friend’s Name) raised an eyebrow, but before she could press further, you raised your wrist and showed her your watch. “--Listen, I know we’ve got lots to talk about, but we only got like an hour left to do the groceries.” You told her, using the fact as an excuse to get away, but also caused you to feel genuine concern for your own time, as well. </p><p> </p><p>“Ah shoot, you’re right!” She gave you and Alastor a wave as she started walking off. “My mom is gonna kill me if I don’t get everything on her list. See ya, (Name)--and nice to meet ya, Al!” </p><p> </p><p>Once your friend was out of sight, you slowly turned around to face your so-called ‘boyfriend’. “Well, <em> darling </em> , we’ve had quite an <em> entertaining </em> kickstarter for our little grocery run. We haven’t even gotten to half of what we need!” He laughed. </p><p> </p><p>“Dull moments become nonexistent because you’re always looking so sharp.” You unconsciously complimented him. It was obvious that he was grinning behind the mask more than his usual perma-smile. Bending down to level with your gaze, he tilted his head and spoke, “You flatter me so, darling, but<em> it takes more than one fine act </em>to keep the show dynamic!” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Did...he just compliment you back? </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Thankful for the mask, you were actually able to conceal the redness of your face. Tucking a lock of hair behind your ears, you cleared your throat and awkwardly led the way. “L-Let’s hurry up, we’re kinda, uhm, strapped for time now.” </p><p> </p><p>“Of course, <em> darling </em>.” Alastor replied, trailing behind you by a few steps. For a good while, you weren’t able to think of anything to say.  </p><p> </p><p>Scanning for aisles that had items you needed, you can’t help but think back to what just happened earlier. Surely, you barely escaped leaking out any hard-hitting information from the two, but...it doesn’t mean that they won’t ask difficult questions later on. You need to think of a foolproof way to keep the strings of this little show from tangling with each other. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> ...Is that how you really see it?  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Your own conscience sent you a pang of guilt from your selfish thoughts. How much longer will you be able to hold this facade together? It scared you. Sooner or later, you’ll have to face the truth, and you knew that it would not end well for you. Luckily, your mask was able to hide most of your downcast expression. All you could do right now was to keep going, going...going…</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“<em> (Name)? </em>” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Bringing yourself back to reality, you found yourself abruptly stopping in your tracks, your shopping cart a mere inch away from hitting the tall, brown haired man who was now in front of you. </p><p> </p><p>There was something about the way your name rolled off his tongue that strikes your heart so. You’ve recalled that he has called you by your name a few times before, and even earlier when he found the perfect onion, but...the inquisitive manner he called out for your attention made you feel soft. </p><p> </p><p>“Alastor?” you answered, pulling the cart a step back for good measure. “Sorry, I uhm, got lost in my thoughts.” </p><p> </p><p>“Apparently so.” he chuckled. “But we’re lacking milk and butter at home, so we...<em> butter </em> get over there.” he wiggled his eyebrows as he pointed at the dairy section. </p><p> </p><p>You almost choked on thin air.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Did Alastor just make a super corny dad joke all of a sudden? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Unable to hold back your laughter, you shook your head. “You--you did not just?! But?! Why?! Hahaha!” Oh, your stomach was starting to hurt from keeping your laughter at minimum to avoid too much attention. It was so, so awful, but you can’t help but laugh because of the stupid, silly joke.  “Ugh! Seriously, Alastor!” </p><p> </p><p>“Ah, there you go.” He said, placing his hands behind his back and tilting his head at you. Calming your laughter down, you asked, “What do you mean?” </p><p> </p><p>“<em> Your smile </em>, my darling!” He waved his finger at you. “You’re never fully dressed without one, you know?” </p><p>
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</p><p>Oh. </p><p> </p><p>Looking away, you suddenly felt conscious of him seeing you. “How...how did you know?” </p><p> </p><p>He chuckled at your inquiry. “My dear, a smile is a great power for someone to hold. I can tell when one’s power wavers.” </p><p> </p><p>“Is…” You felt hesitant about asking such a thing, but you decided to go for it. “...Is that why you always smile?</p><p>
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</p><p>You faintly heard the crackle of radio static. “That is only one of many reasons, darling.”</p><p> </p><p>That only made you want to ask more questions, but seeing as he began leading the way to the dairy section across you two, you sensed that he preferred you to not press on it. </p><p> </p><p>As you stared at his back (his beautiful, toned, irresistible back), you began to realize that what he had done for you earlier was...to cheer you up? Whoa. Whoa. Wait. The <em> Radio Demon </em> sensed that you were down and he made a dad joke to lift your spirits? That’s...awfully <em>suspicious</em>. But, it was...thoughtful nonetheless. </p><p> </p><p>“Alastor?” You called out to him, still keeping your pace behind him. Without turning to you, he kept walking and replied, “Hm?” </p><p> </p><p>“Thanks.” </p><p> </p><p>“For whatever are you thanking me for, darling?” </p><p> </p><p>You brought your gaze to the ground, still maneuvering the shopping cart. “...For, uhm, earlier.” </p><p> </p><p>“For giving that lascivious madam trouble rightfully deserved?” He laughed, recalling the grave panic that ran all over her eyes when she realized she would have to pay for every single bottle that fell over. </p><p> </p><p>Stifling your laughter, you shook your head. “Well, that...and...uhm, for trying to cheer me up earlier.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, think nothing of it, my dear.” he told you. Giving you a quick glance, he spoke, “It’s all for our fun, little show, after all...before…”</p><p> </p><p>“Before…?” You repeated, prodding him to continue. The two of you arrived at the dairy section, and he began looking over some cartons and gallons of different products. Grabbing a carton of milk, he raised it in front of you and spoke, “...Before I<em> milk </em>some interesting pieces of information from your lovely, smiling, masked face, darling.”</p><p> </p><p>Knitting your eyebrows, you moved your head to the side to meet his eyes, which was previously blocked by the carton of milk. “...Uhm….what do you mean?” </p><p> </p><p>“I saw a <em> very interesting photo </em> on your friend’s handheld device earlier.”  </p><p>
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</p><p>
  <em> Fuck. </em>
</p><p>
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</p><p>In all the hysteria that just unraveled earlier, you forgot to hide one very vital piece of evidence in your crime. You knew it wasn’t your friend’s fault. And, honestly, it wasn’t even your fault either. Yet, the fact remains that you knew what Alastor wanted to know, after just one simple question. It didn’t occur to you that it would happen this early, but you had no other way around it. </p><p> </p><p>
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  <em> Your friend’s phone case had a photo of Alastor, the Radio Demon. </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Even I feel queasy thinking about the next chapter. Hahaha! </p><p>Thank you for reading! &lt;3 Let me know what you guys think of this chapter. There's a lot that went on, but I hope it still made some sense hahaha. I had to write this bit by bit because of all the workload I have. Also! Please follow me on Twitter @HHQWMD for updates and other Hazbin related stuff like fanarts I draw and covers I sing! I recently made a Tagalog cover of "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" (watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UF8cksQeFc) &lt;3 Yes, I'm Filipino and I love singing, too x"D  Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter. Thank you for all the support. It really means a lot to me. :") </p><p>Stay home and stay safe, everyone! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Your Favorite</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, everyone! Long chapter ahead!! &lt;3 Thank you for all the support for this fic. I'd love to hear your comments on this one!! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>“I saw a <em> very interesting photo </em> on your friend’s handheld device earlier.”  </p><p>
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</p><p>
  <em> Fuck. </em>
</p><p>
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</p><p>In all the hysteria that just unraveled earlier, you forgot to hide one very vital piece of evidence in your crime. You knew it wasn’t your friend’s fault. And, honestly, it wasn’t even your fault either. Yet, the fact remains that you knew what Alastor wanted to know, after just one simple question. It didn’t occur to you that it would happen this early, but you had no other way around it. </p><p> </p><p><em> Your friend’s phone case had a photo of Alastor, the Radio Demon. </em> </p><p> </p><p>*~*~*~*</p><p>
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</p><p>Of all the godforsaken things to see, and of all the godforsaken demons to know...it just <em> had </em>to be Alastor, huh?</p><p> </p><p>As an uncomfortable mix of fear, anxiety, and panic started sinking into you, your heart began pounding against your rib cage aggressively. Frozen, your mind was screaming at you to just run far, far away. It was like a fight-or-flight instinct was kicking in and boy, with Alastor being the threat, you know it would be best to go with the flight part. </p><p> </p><p>Seeing the fear in your eyes pleased Alastor greatly--oh...he found this <em> so pleasing </em>. Bending down to meet your shaken gaze, he spoke, “My dear, I think you’ve forgotten who you’re dealing with. It’s not a wise move to try and play me a fool.”</p><p> </p><p>“I...know.” you managed to reply. From the very start of this whole ordeal, you knew that you were playing with fire--and you were enjoying such a game because of your own selfish needs. However...you weren’t ready. You didn’t expect this to happen so soon. You didn’t <em> want </em>this to happen so soon. </p><p> </p><p>And yet, here you were. </p><p> </p><p>Well, what else could you do? There was no point in trying to wiggle your way out of this mess. You knew--you just knew that once Alastor sets his mind on something, he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. His eyes were brimming with curiosity, which was very hard, if not impossible, to shake off of Alastor. Looking away from him, you picked up a cheaper gallon of milk and placed it in your shopping cart. “Alastor...can we...talk about this later tonight, instead? We really have to...finish our grocery run soon.” </p><p> </p><p>He hummed for a few moments, considering your request. “Alright, fair enough.” Placing the more expensive carton and gallon of milk he held into the shopping cart, he took the one you put in back onto the display. </p><p> </p><p>Moving a few steps away from you, he started choosing among the wide selection of butter, the distance allowed you to exhale deeply. Well, you managed to delay the inevitable, which was relieving. </p><p> </p><p>But either way...<em> tonight </em> was <em> too soon </em>. What were you supposed to say?!</p><p> </p><p>The thought of Alastor finding out the truth scared you immensely. If he were to know that he was just something brought by pure fiction, a character from some 2D animation...how would he react? Would he take it like a champ and find it entertaining, or would he think you were spewing bullshit out of your mouth and just straight up end you for good? </p><p> </p><p>How would he react knowing that there were millions of other people out there that knew about him? Would he take advantage of their fondness for him? Would he want to manipulate other people to do his bidding, for his sick sense of entertainment? Or…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Would he dislike being obsessed over by other people with such intense affection? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>No matter where your thoughts went, you could not help but think of the worst possible scenario it could entail. It was wringing you dry and it was undoubtedly uncomfortable.<em> Just...why won’t things go the way you wanted it to be? Was it really that difficult, world?  </em></p><p>
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</p><p>As you were internally struggling with yourself, Alastor could not help but sneak glances at your small, troubled figure. He knew that there was always something strange about you from the moment he met your eyes. There wasn’t real fear or terror or even discomfort, no… </p><p>
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</p><p>
  <em> Your eyes sparkled when your gazes first met.  </em>
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</p><p>Indeed, such an instance was not new to him back when he was still alive. He was quite the lad back in the day, and although it never really interested him, he seemed to have that flair to charm the ladies...the sweet, vulnerable ladies that would naively fall for his chivalry and wit.</p><p> </p><p>But when he manifested in Hell, and his whole appearance changed, things panned out differently. </p><p> </p><p>While there were still lady demons or denizens that took a liking to him for his power, his class, or his way with words...they always look at him with a tiny pinch of salt. It was Hell, after all, and just knowing that he was the Radio Demon was enough to put everyone and anyone on edge, and would instinctively have a weapon or an escape plan in mind should he try anything. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> But with you? Oh, with you… </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The way you allowed vulnerability in front of him, with just your eyes alone, in<em> pure, unbridled interest </em> --with even an idea of who he really was, was very.. <em> .refreshing </em>. </p><p> </p><p>It was strange...but not necessarily unwelcome. </p><p> </p><p>Despite how you viewed yourself, Alastor had a feeling that you weren’t exactly just a mere human who was just an innocent civilian caught up in this strange fiasco. How he would try to unravel the truth behind all this was definitely an adventure he can’t wait to further explore. </p><p> </p><p>The experience of being back to the living world was exciting, yes, but the situation in which he was brought back to the world above and the setting all of you were in, in your quaint abode made it strangely comfortable for all of them. </p><p> </p><p>Feeling the stick of butter soften in his hand, Alastor chuckled and placed it back on the display rack. He proceeded to pick out several dairy products that seemed to be of good quality and in branding that fit his taste. Further inspecting these products, he found himself giving a little smirk, which was covered by his mask. </p><p> </p><p>Heading over to you, he placed the items into the shopping cart and cleared his throat to catch your attention. You immediately turned to face him, and naturally, like the dork that you always were, melted in his inquisitive gaze. </p><p>
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</p><p>
  <em> “Darling, lost in thought?”  </em>
</p><p>
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</p><p>
  <em> “No, in your eyes.” </em>
</p><p>
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</p><p>He blinked repeatedly for a moment. </p><p> </p><p>“--eyes--ice! Ice-cold blocks of…” You exclaimed in a panic, and picked up the items that Alastor had just placed in moments ago. Despite it being just an excuse, you found your eyes darting on the price tags on each item. “--very, very <em> expensive </em> butter?!” </p><p> </p><p>Raising each item up to him, you gave a look of horror as you mentally computed for the total of just these alone. “<em> Echiré butter, Alastor, really? Echiré?!”  </em></p><p> </p><p>“But--But it’s the finest butter they have, darling! The dishes I could make with that--oh, the possibilities of concocting endless dishes that could put star chefs to shame!” Alastor defended, taking away the small blocks of butter from your hands and placing it back to the cart. </p><p> </p><p>You gasped, shaking your head in disagreement as you grabbed them again. “Alastor,<em> these </em> blocks of  butter alone is worth four grocery runs! <em> Four! </em>”</p><p> </p><p>He gasped in response, making his reaction even more exaggerated than yours. “That fact is <em> irrelevant </em>, my dear! It’s very well worth all the money!” </p><p> </p><p>“--<em> My </em> money, <em> darling! </em> ” you couldn’t hold yourself back from hissing at him at this point, taking the blocks of butter back in your grasp with the intention to place it back on the rack. With your compromised salary, those blocks of butter amount to around a month’s worth of work! If you weren’t in such a situation, you would have given in to your obsession for Alastor and let your wallet take a hit--but <em> now </em> was <em> definitely not the time </em>. </p><p>
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</p><p>“Ah, young love.” </p><p>
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</p><p>The sudden interjection made you turn to your right. You saw an elderly woman, she wore a face mask, but her eyes crinkled at the two of you in amusement. A safe distance behind her was an elderly man with a shopping cart in tow. “What is it, love?” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, this adorable couple just reminded me of how we used to lovingly quarrel over our groceries.” She softly laughed. Waving a hand at us, she spoke, “Pardon for the intrusion, dears, I just could not resist. You two are lovely together.” </p><p> </p><p>Being mistaken for a loving couple, with Alastor of all people, sent your blood rushing to your cheeks double time. Suddenly flustered, you were thankful that you had a mask to hide your face. “N-No, uhm! Sorry we--we were too loud, ma’am. We, uh--”</p><p> </p><p>“--We’re <em> lovers </em>! Yes!” Alastor laughed, a hint of mischievousness in his voice. “I truly adore my sweet, beautiful partner!” </p><p> </p><p>“My, how sweet! You remind me of my husband here whenever he introduces me to anyone.” She gave another laugh. Her husband looked away sheepishly, but did not deny it. Turning to you, the elderly woman asked, “Tell me, dear. What were you two quarreling about?” </p><p> </p><p>Remembering what brought you to this situation in the first place, you raised the block of butter that was in your hand. You sighed. “...Well, uhm, he wanted to buy these really expensive Echiré butters--but it really wasn’t in our budget, like really, <em> really </em> over our budget.”</p><p> </p><p>“Echiré, you say?” The woman inquired, eyeing the butter in your hands. “My, my. What do you wish to do with all the butter, young man?” </p><p> </p><p>“I was planning to incorporate them in dishes I wish to cook for my <em> darling lover </em>here back at home, madam!” Alastor explained. You squinted at him, you knew it wasn’t really for you, it was to satisfy his greedy, foodie heart! Rolling your eyes, you turned back your attention to the elderly couple. </p><p> </p><p>Slowly, she opened her purse and brought out a few bills...of a really large denomination. “Allow me to pay for them.” she smoothly stated, handing you the bills. </p><p> </p><p>Your eyes grew wide. “What?! Oh, no no no no! Ma’am, you--you don’t need to pay for it. Really, we can uhm, buy the butter some other time when we can afford them!” You told her, waving your hands in front of you. </p><p> </p><p>“Please, I wish to pay for them, sweetie.” she replied, placing the bills in your hands and stepping back at a safer distance. “I’m sure your lover wants to buy them to make you happy! And we would want you two to be happy, as well! Right, love?” The elderly woman turned to her husband. </p><p> </p><p>“Yes, love.” The elderly man nodded. He turned to you. “Take it, little one, it’s but a small amount to us, don’t worry.” </p><p> </p><p>“But--”</p><p> </p><p>Alastor gave them a small bow. “Oh, thank you, sir, madam! We appreciate it!” Looking at you from the corner of his eye, he squinted at you victoriously. </p><p> </p><p>“Not a problem, dearies.” The elderly woman replied, beginning to take small steps towards the next aisle. “I adore seeing love blossom! I’m sure the children you two will make will be just as lovely!” </p><p> </p><p>“I-Wha-Chi--<em> Children?! </em>” You shamefully stuttered, completely and utterly embarrassed by the comment. </p><p> </p><p>Waving goodbye, Alastor laughed. “Why, indeed! They <em> definitely </em> will be!” </p><p>
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</p><p>The fact that Alastor just said that was fucking sending you. <em> Can...Can you not?! Can you not give this crazed, thirsty fangirl actual material for her obsessive daydreams for such a beautiful, perfect, delicious demon deer daddy?! Stop! Stop!  </em></p><p>
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</p><p>The woman gave a soft laugh and waved before she disappeared into the next aisle, her husband slowly pushing the cart as he followed her. </p><p>
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</p><p>Unconsciously, you fanned yourself with the bills you were just given. Realizing this, you suddenly placed the bills in your pocket. You heard Alastor give another laugh. </p><p> </p><p>“Well! Problem solved, darling!” He looked at you, taking the block of butter in your other hand and placing it back into your shopping cart. “That was quite entertaining!” </p><p> </p><p>“And weird, but convenient…” you groaned. “Seriously, Alastor...can we <em> please </em> get through this grocery run peacefully?” Checking your phone, you saw that there was only forty minutes left until curfew. “We pretty much have just half an hour to do the groceries, and just barely 10 minutes to briskly walk back home.”</p><p> </p><p>“We have no time to waste, then, dear!” Alastor exclaimed enthusiastically, grabbing your hand and leading you onwards. You instinctively grabbed onto the handle of your shopping cart. “W-Wait! Alastor we--we can’t…” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You were holding Alastor’s hand. You want to hold his warm, soft, and fairly calloused hands for eternity. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> But you knew you couldn’t.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Alastor stopped in his tracks and immediately let go of your hand. “Right! Those silly ‘protocols’!” he laughed and placed his hands behind his back instead. </p><p>
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</p><p>You were thankful that this supermarket has an unnecessary amount of air conditioners, or else you would 100% spontaneously combust from all the crazy heat your face was experiencing. </p><p>
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</p><p>The two of you moved on to the meat section. Trying to waft the scent away, you waved your hand in front of yourself. Meanwhile, Alastor already smoothly strode over to get a closer look. Watching him from a distance, you found yourself feeling a certain fondness over him being so particular of food. It was a little quirk that he had, and it was sometimes silly, sometimes frustrating...and sometimes…</p><p> </p><p>It just makes you feel...soft. </p><p>
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</p><p>Alastor wasn’t just any character you’ve gotten yourself obsessed with, just as you did with hundreds of other two-dimensional fictional beings. Right now, he was real. He was with you. Well, only temporarily. </p><p> </p><p>For a good moment, you almost forgot that you had to come clean and tell him the truth, the whole truth. If...he knew that you liked him, that you were overly enthusiastic….or just downright thirsty for him...how much would change between the two of you? </p><p> </p><p>Would the two of you still get to exchange your usual, playful banter? Would he still play his mischievous antics on you? Would he still look at you expectantly as you take that first taste of his latest home cooked meal? </p><p> </p><p>Would he still take your hand in his to lead you excitedly to wherever aisle he wanted to check?</p><p> </p><p>...Or would things just be...weird? </p><p> </p><p>As you anxiously pondered the thought, you suddenly realize that Alastor was pointing at various kinds of pork, beef, and poultry--and based on previous experience, he was literally gonna wring your wallet dry with his selections. </p><p> </p><p>After hurriedly heading over to where he was, while keeping a meter away from him, you looked at him with pleading eyes. “Alastor, please don’t tell me you’re buying expensive cuts--” </p><p> </p><p>“--Relax, darling.” Alastor hushed you, waving a finger. “I made sure to choose just enough for two weeks worth of meals for us--<em> and </em>, I made sure it fit your budget for this little grocery run. I heard you computing aloud as we left your house earlier.” </p><p> </p><p>“...Ah, dammit. I thought I was just computing mentally that time. I’m  such a dork.” You let yourself relax. Raising an eyebrow at him, you asked, “If you knew about that, why did you want those crazy blocks of butter? We wouldn’t have debated about it if you already knew!”</p><p> </p><p>Alastor laughed. “Ha! You should have seen yourself, my dear. I haven’t had such a fun banter in a long while.”</p><p> </p><p>“You...had fun…?” </p><p> </p><p>There were mixed feelings bubbling inside you, but before you could process them one by one, a shopper cleared their throat, ushering the two of you to move along. Alastor acknowledged it and took the plastic bag of assorted meat in a graceful swoop and placed it in your cart.</p><p> </p><p>Following after him, you saw that he was heading over to the seafood section. He was quite enthusiastic about it, especially since the cuisine he fondly grew up with incorporated seafood in countless meals. </p><p> </p><p>With the quarantine in effect, however, seafood has spiked up in terms of price--and quite frankly, just looking at the price tags displayed made you wince. Knowing Alastor, he would want some of these, and you found yourself accepting that you might end up letting your wallet take a hit after all. You’ll probably credit it to your personal savings, so it won’t risk your expenses at home. </p><p> </p><p>However, to your surprise, Alastor walked past it. </p><p> </p><p>“Aren’t you gonna get some crawfish or shrimp or something…?” You inquired. It was strange for him to just disregard it after gawking at them passionately for a good moment. </p><p> </p><p>Without looking back, he spoke as he walked onwards. “Darling, you winced just seeing the numbers.” he lightly chuckled. “It can wait for another two weeks.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh.” </p><p>
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</p><p>The rest of your grocery run went on smoothly, and peacefully. Alastor pointed out whatever ingredient he would use for cooking, and you would choose the affordable option for said ingredient. There were even times where he would excitedly pull you over to a section that had better deals. </p><p> </p><p>Soon enough, you breezed through your shopping list and, surely enough when you arrived at the cashier, the amount was just within your budget--well, it was actually exactly in your budget down to the last cent.    </p><p> </p><p>With all your items bagged, you were about to take one bag to carry when Alastor took all four in his arms. “I’ll take care of this, darling.” he told you, to which you responded with a shy “Thanks.”</p><p> </p><p>“Wow, handsome, strong, and a real gentleman. Honey, you’ve found quite a catch.” The cashier could not help but tease you. Flustered for a good moment, you gave an awkward laugh. “Y-Yeah, haha...I’m...lucky.” </p><p> </p><p>As the two of you made your way to the exit, you found Alastor stiffen and squint. Following his gaze, you saw that he was looking at the automatic doors with contempt. “Alastor, they’re just doors.” </p><p> </p><p>“I’ve come to terms that I do not like such doors.” he commented. “It takes out proper manners and a sense of chivalry, not allowing respectable lads to hold the door for lovely dames.” </p><p> </p><p>You tried not to laugh from the cuteness of his statement. “That’s what ticks you? But you looked really fascinated by it earlier!” </p><p> </p><p>“It was a…” Alastor stopped mid-sentence as he watched the door part for a man on his way inside the supermarket. “...fleeting interest.” </p><p> </p><p>Oh this dorky deer man, seriously.  </p><p> </p><p>“But it’s convenient, Alastor.” You subtly gestured at the old lady who had two paper bags in both hands. “Especially for shoppers who have a lot in their hands.” </p><p> </p><p>“...I suppose.” he sighed. You couldn’t help but chuckle this time. </p><p> </p><p>When the two of you were finally out of the building, Alastor turned to you. “Well, our little rendezvous was quite an experience, wasn’t it, darling?” </p><p> </p><p>“It was. Did...you have fun?” </p><p> </p><p>“It seems that it’s always a ride when I’m with you, my dear.” </p><p> </p><p>You bet your heart skipped a beat because of his answer. Hopefully, your blush dissipates when you get home. </p><p> </p><p>Walking a few steps ahead of you, he stopped, causing you to follow suit. “...How about you, darling? Did you have ‘fun’?” he inquired, throwing your question back at you.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.” </p><p> </p><p>With a look that you swore was a triumphant one, Alastor turned back around and began leading you back to your house. The route was easy enough to remember, so he had no problem leading the way. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Finally arriving home, you were about to walk to the door to open it--when Alastor suddenly interjected. “Ah, ah. No need.” In a snap, the grocery bags were suddenly gone. You looked at him, surprised. </p><p> </p><p>He laughed. “No worries, dear. The items are already inside.” In another snap, the door was unlocked. After twisting the doorknob, Alastor held the door for you. “Shall we?” </p><p> </p><p>What a dorky deer gentleman. You were more obsessed about him now more than ever. </p><p>
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</p><p>As the two of you were finally inside, you saw Charlie and Vaggie rushing towards you--only for you to abruptly tell them to not get any closer. “Whoa! Hold on! Hold on, don’t come near us!” </p><p> </p><p>“(Name)! Why were you outside?! Why did you bring Alastor with you outside?!” Vaggie asked, deeply concerned over what might have transpired while the two of you were out in a world unknown to them. </p><p> </p><p>Aggressively spraying alcohol onto your hands, body, you replied as you sanitized. “We bought groceries.” Turning to Alastor, you made him hold out his hands. He followed, allowing you to spray alcohol on him. After the alcohol storm was over, he snapped his fingers to remove your facemasks. </p><p> </p><p>“Groceries?” the moth demon repeated. From a distance, all of you heard Angel Dust loudly whining over his cereal bowl getting toppled over by a paper bag. Understanding that Alastor used magic to transport the bags to the kitchen, Vaggie groaned. “What does Alastor have anything to do with that?! He’s a threat to everyone he could have encountered outside!” </p><p> </p><p>“I know, I’m sorry. It’s just that--” You scratched your cheek awkwardly. </p><p> </p><p>Glaring at Alastor, she pointed a finger at him. “He cornered you to do it, didn’t he?” </p><p> </p><p>The awkward smile on your face was enough of an answer. </p><p> </p><p>“It’s fine, guys, really. Alastor does the cooking here, so it was convenient to have him tag along.” You explained, although you did not deny that initially he really just cornered you to let him in on the little trip. </p><p> </p><p>Charlie took Vaggie’s hand in hers and gave her a soft look. “C’mon, Vaggie. She’s right. It doesn’t seem like anything bad happened, plus they both got back in one piece.” </p><p> </p><p>“..Yeah, yeah.” The slender Latina gave in. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she tried not to let her frustration result in another headache. “You’re right. I’m just...glad you both are back safe.” </p><p> </p><p>“Thanks for worrying, Vaggie.” You told her. “It went well, nothing bad happened.” </p><p> </p><p>“Well, I did make a discovery…” Alastor trailed, causing you to panic. Was he going to just straight up spill about what he saw in your friend’s phone case earlier?! </p><p> </p><p>You sharply turned to him, the troubled look in your eyes was undoubtedly satisfying for him. </p><p> </p><p>“What discovery?” Charlie inquired, tilting her head. </p><p>
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</p><p>Laughing, Alastor raised a fist. “That we are going to have even more exquisite meals in this meager household!” </p><p> </p><p>They rolled their eyes at him. It was typical Alastor behavior even back when they were at the hotel, so it wasn’t really that surprising or interesting to them anymore. They did appreciate his cooking, as much as they did not want to admit it. </p><p> </p><p>You smiled at him as he made that dorky, enthusiastic expression, which was more colorful now that he was back to his default demon look. You really can’t get enough of this man. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The day went by rather peacefully. Workload was light, and rather swift as you had less hours on your shift. Everyone was becoming comfortable enough to pick a spot in the house to chill in.</p><p> </p><p>Husk almost caught Angel with an extra bottle, but the arachnid was able to quickly hide it in the fur that masqueraded as his large chest. Niffty kept binging anime, and enthusiastically cleaned around the house in between breaks. </p><p> </p><p>Charlie and Vaggie seemed to enjoy cuddling on the sofa, they must not have had enough relaxed, intimate time back when they were managing the hotel. Alastor was even leisurely reading through a cookbook your mother had kept in one of the living room shelves. </p><p> </p><p>They also tried to open the portal again, and once more, their attempt fell flat. If you really had some sort of effect on their attempts, you definitely have to blame your selfish, fangirl heart. After all that had occurred today, the thirst you had for a certain Radio Demon, and the affection you felt for each demon that currently resided with you, has grown stronger and even harder to shake off. </p><p> </p><p>It doesn’t mean you feel any less guilty. You really like them, and you knew they would want to go back to their so-called home...you just want more...time. </p><p> </p><p>Eventually, night came. </p><p> </p><p>After pretty much everyone else had retired to their respective rooms, you felt that familiar breeze as you stood by the stairs leading to the rooftop. </p><p> </p><p>It was finally time. </p><p> </p><p>It was another night with clear skies, with even more stars scattered like glitter, shimmering down on you. The gentle breeze was comforting, you were thankful it wasn’t a humid evening as the weatherman predicted earlier. </p><p> </p><p>Settling your gaze on the tall figure that was seated on the bench a good distance from you, you slowly made your way to him. He was staring up at the night sky, but slowly brought his gaze to you, who had just sat down beside him.  </p><p> </p><p>For a good moment, the two of you were just silent. You didn’t know how to start this conversation, you weren’t really ready. Clearing your throat, you began, “So...uhm…what did you...see?” </p><p> </p><p>“Dear, I’m sure you already know what I saw.” he replied, causing you to twiddle your thumbs in an even more uncoordinated fashion out of nervousness. He gave a radio-filtered chuckle. “It was strange, but I saw some sort of photo...that uncannily resembled me.” </p><p> </p><p>“Explain to me, darling.” he softly ordered, turning to face you. His eyes had faintly glowed red, and his ever-present smile grew wide as his curiosity was sparked. </p><p> </p><p>Given that he was already this enraptured by his curiosity, you knew the best course of action was to come clean about it. Letting out a shaky breath, you answered, “...In this world...you...all six of you...are fictional characters...from this show called ‘Hazbin Hotel’.”</p><p> </p><p>He was quiet for a moment. </p><p> </p><p>“Interesting.” he managed to reply. Tilting his head, he asked, “How much was shown about us...on this show?”</p><p> </p><p>“Actually...not that much. We only have the pilot episode released right now.” You told him, giving a little smile thinking about the episode. “It was short, but it was enough to give us an idea of what you guys were like.”</p><p> </p><p>He pressed his palm onto his cheek. “And...do you like said idea?”</p><p> </p><p>“<em> Absolutely. </em>” you immediately replied without second thoughts, as you stared up at him. Realizing it, you tried covering up your lovestruck gaze by giving an awkward laugh. </p><p> </p><p>He laughed alongside you, pulling you closer to him by wrapping his arm over your shoulders. “Dear, a show about loathsome sinners in Hell, and you enjoy it. You must be crazy.” </p><p> </p><p>“For you.” </p><p> </p><p>“Hm?” </p><p> </p><p>His proximity from you was making you slip up double time. “--For...you...it might be crazy...but it’s a really good show.” </p><p> </p><p>“I suppose.” he chuckled. He hummed, piecing some things together. “Aha! So this is why you just let us demons stay in your home without much hesitation. You already knew about us!” </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah...I mean, c’mon, if I didn’t know you guys, surely I can’t be blamed for having the right mind to drive you away.” You admitted, scratching your cheek. “But since I did...I let you guys stay...I mean, I knew that Charlie was really nice, and that Vaggie wouldn’t let anyone cause trouble here.”</p><p> </p><p>“You were curious about us, too, weren’t you?” he pointed out, smirking at you. </p><p> </p><p>Your breath hitched for a moment. “...Yes. That’s...only natural.” </p><p> </p><p>“I have killed many.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know.” </p><p> </p><p>“Without hesitation.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know.”</p><p> </p><p>“Out of boredom.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know.”</p><p> </p><p>“I would do it again.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know.”</p><p> </p><p>As his hand grasped your shoulder, you could feel his nails lightly dig into your skin. He laughed again, “You are truly interesting, my dear.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I’m not as interesting as you.” you replied, exhaling slowly. Alastor shook his head. “Are you trying to pull my leg, dear? I told you, you don’t have to sell yourself short!” he grinned at you. </p><p> </p><p>With Alastor complimenting you and holding you close, every fiber of your being was holding yourself back from just resting your head onto his shoulder...well, arm, rather, as he was so tall. The thought made you chuckle. “Thank you, but I am short, especially when I’m with you!”</p><p> </p><p>He laughed at that, “Well, that was not what I meant, but either way, it is certainly not my fault!” </p><p> </p><p>Both of you laughed at this point. </p><p> </p><p>When the laughter died down, he asked another question. “Why did your friend place a photo of mine on her handheld device, then?” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, that’s because you’re her favorite.” you answered on reflex. Out of curiosity, you waited for his reaction. In a neutral, disinterested tone, he responded. “Ah. I see.”</p><p> </p><p>His response made you feel discomfort, a knot tying in your insides. What...did he mean by that? Did he not like it? Does he not like the idea of someone liking him that way? </p><p>
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</p><p>“What about you darling?” he suddenly asked, taking a lock of your hair and twirling it in his finger. “...Am I your favorite?” </p><p>
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</p><p>Swept away by your insecurities and fears, you felt a lump in your throat form. Anxiety clouded your thoughts, and you could feel yourself beginning to breathe heavily. </p><p>
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</p><p>“<em> ...No. </em>”</p><p>
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</p><p>Alastor pulled his hand away from you and let both hands limply fall back to his lap. For a second there, if your eyes weren’t deceiving you, you swore there was a tinge of disappointment reflected in his red orbs. </p><p> </p><p>“...I see.” </p><p> </p><p>Feeling guilt stab you for both lying and sounding like a jerk, you tried defending your answer. “I--I mean, I just meant that I…don’t have a favorite. I like all of you...equally!” </p><p> </p><p>Your follow-up seemed to have meant nothing, if not had made it worse, as he just stared at you coldly. His smile was still present, but the friendliness his smile used to emanate when he was around you has suddenly disappeared. </p><p> </p><p>“You...have quite the generous heart.” he commented blankly, his usual tone replaced with a more...monotonous one. He stood up and dusted off his clothes. “It’s getting late, I will retire to the bedroom now.” </p><p> </p><p>“Wait, Alastor…” you tried to convince him to stay, to give you another chance to clear things out. </p><p> </p><p>Without looking at you, he only responded with, “Good night.” before he snapped his fingers and disappeared, most likely back to the guest room. </p><p>
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</p><p>At that point, you just knew, you<em> royally fucked up </em>.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>The next morning did not arrive as easy for you. Troubled by the previous night’s mess, you had a difficult time falling asleep. Eventually, tossing and turning had tired out your body, mercifully granting you...a mere few hours of rest.</p><p> </p><p>Getting up, given up on catching another wink of sleep, you decided to head downstairs. It was still so early, no one was downstairs yet. Niffty was not on the sofa as she was yesterday, she learned that the bed was a lot more comfortable. </p><p> </p><p>You were used to having Alastor already prepping up something in the kitchen when you had woken up. He was both a morning person and a night person...does he even sleep, you wonder.</p><p> </p><p>Thinking of Alastor hurt your heart. You didn’t mean for things to turn out that way last night. It’s just that...you got scared. Surely if you...explained he would understand, right? What was there to explain, though? What would you say? That he really was your favorite? Wouldn’t it feel like you were forcing yourself after last night? </p><p> </p><p>You heard someone descend the stairs. Speak of the devil, well, think in this case, there he was. Hurriedly fixing your bedhead, you cleared your throat and walked up to him. Shyly, you greeted, “...Good morning.” </p><p> </p><p>He looked at you, then proceeded to walk inside the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You were ignored. </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It was as if someone pricked your eye, which was already beginning to water. Blinking it away, you decided to try one more time. Before you could enter the kitchen, however, you heard a knock coming from the front door. </p><p> </p><p>You weren’t expecting company, so you carefully unlocked the door and cautiously peered outside. There was a familiar female figure that stood on your front porch steps. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “(Friend’s Name)?” </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Me, at Reader: wHERE'S YOUR THIRST, YOU COWARD???!!!</p><p>Thank you for reading you guys! I had a fever recently, but I'm all better now!! I guess it was just from overworking huhu. I took a two day sick leave to recover, and now I'm back on track :&gt; This is quite the long chapter, but I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it! I really appreciate all the support you guys give me for this fic. :") I was even surprised when a Reader donated to me via Ko-Fi (ko-fi.com/flamehazelollipop). Thank you so much!! I don't know if you want to be mentioned, but just know that you're really awesome and your donation helped me a lot! :") </p><p>Going back to this update, I really enjoyed the soft moments Alastor and Reader had at the grocery store. I believe that even simple errands could turn into fun adventures when you're with the right person. :&gt; Although..not everything pans out well ^^; </p><p>As a food for thought for the next update, consider this: Reader isn't the only Hazbin fangirl out there. Out of everyone, it was just randomly, conveniently you...but...do you really deserve it? What if there was some other fangirl out there that was a better match for the six? ...Oops. :(( I made myself sad. Hahaha! </p><p>Anyways, thank you for reading! :"D Let me know what you think of this chap down in the comments! I really love reading them, really, like a check too many times in a span of an hour, in every hour the days after, for them x"D </p><p>Stay home and stay safe, everyone! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. You're Going To Regret That</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for all the support you're continue to give :") Last chapter was a blast! Thank you so much for all the comments! &lt;3 I loved reading each and every one! Another long chapter coming up ahead! Let me know what you think of this one. Enjoy! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>You heard someone descend the stairs. Speak of the devil, well, think in this case, there he was. Hurriedly fixing your bedhead, you cleared your throat and walked up to him. Shyly, you greeted, “...Good morning.” </p><p> </p><p>He looked at you, then proceeded to walk inside the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> You were ignored. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>It was as if someone pricked your eye, which was already beginning to water. Blinking it away, you decided to try one more time. Before you could enter the kitchen, however, you heard a knock coming from the front door. </p><p> </p><p>You weren’t expecting company, so you carefully unlocked the door and cautiously peered outside. There was a familiar female figure that stood on your front porch steps. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “(Friend’s Name)?”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>*~*~*~*</p><p> </p><p>You weren’t exactly able to comprehend the situation immediately. Shyly, your friend gave you a small wave. “Hey…”</p><p> </p><p>“...What are you doing here..?” you asked, still frozen in place, making sure that she doesn’t get to peek inside your house yet. It was too early for everyone else except Alastor to be up...but the problem is that Alastor might not want to cooperate with you on anything at the moment.</p><p> </p><p>Her facemask covered most of her face, but you could sense that she was giving an awkward smile. “Ahaha..well..funny story…I...got into an argument with my mother and...I..ran out of the house without a quarantine pass.”</p><p> </p><p>“What?!” you exclaimed. A person could get arrested if they were out without a quarantine pass, that’s how strict things have been because of this dangerous pandemic. “Did you get caught?”</p><p> </p><p>“Almost. I managed to evade a cop, and I remembered you lived close by so I decided to knock. Is it alright if I crash here for the night?” she asked. She literally had nothing with her except her phone and facemask, and letting her borrow your quarantine pass was a no-go, either.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> What are you gonna do? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>After heavily contemplating on it, you looked back at her. “You can...Hold on, let me get you some alcohol or sanitizer first.” Excusing yourself, you asked her to sit on the front porch steps for a while, so that her view would be away from the inside of your house. </p><p> </p><p>The alcohol bottle was near the door, but you just used it as an excuse to head to the kitchen. Alastor was there, quietly chopping an onion. The air was quite thick, he didn’t even look up despite your soft knock.</p><p> </p><p>“Alastor…” you softly called out, yet he still spared you not a single glance. “...I...can tell you’re...upset with me...but...my friend is here and she wants...to crash for the night...please, can you help me out..?”</p><p> </p><p>Your lips were slightly trembling as you struggled to get your words out. It was a difficult task to speak with people who obviously show that they were upset with you---and it was a much harder feat when it’s someone you deeply regard. </p><p> </p><p>Silence was his answer. </p><p> </p><p>Hurt, but not exactly surprised by his response...or lack thereof...you let out a sigh. Walking back to the door, you grabbed a bottle of alcohol and checked on your friend. “Here,” you told her as you handed her the bottle. After she took a generous amount of the liquid and applied it on herself to sanitize, she stood up. </p><p> </p><p>You felt yourself hesitate for a good moment before you let her inside the house. It’s only a matter of time before she finds out the truth. It’s only a matter of time before everyone else finds out the truth.</p><p> </p><p>And you felt absolutely<em> terrified </em>of what was to come after that.</p><p> </p><p>(Friend’s Name) took a seat on one of the sofas in your living room. “Do you want anything? Coffee or water?” you asked her, nervously twiddling your thumbs. She pulled down her facemask and smiled at you. “Water would be fine. Thanks, (Name)!” </p><p> </p><p>You smiled back and nodded. As you turned around, however, you found yourself bumping into...someone. You heard your friend gasp. </p><p> </p><p>Panicked, you quickly looked up to see who was in front of you. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh! I almost forgot Al is staying here, too!” you heard your friend comment. Your eyes met with familiar hazel ones behind oval glasses. A big smile was on his face...but the glint that accompanied his eyes were...cold. </p><p> </p><p>Striding past you, you heard him cheerfully greet your friend. “Ah, Ms. (Friend’s Name), it’s nice to see you again!”.</p><p>
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  <em> You almost felt physical pain from your hurt feelings.  </em>
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</p><p>Ignoring you was one thing, but disregarding you to talk to someone else...<em> hurts </em>. It...wasn’t fair. Wasn’t he disinterested just last night? Didn’t he not like having someone else blatantly show liking towards him? Didn’t he feel off when you told him that your friend considers him as her favorite? </p><p> </p><p>You felt so confused and conflicted and...you just wanted to take your friend out of the picture so you could talk this out with Alastor himself...but you couldn’t.</p><p> </p><p>When you arrived at the kitchen, you saw that breakfast was already prepared. Grabbing the plates of sausages, eggs, and bacon, you carefully snuck over to the staircase. With Alastor...keeping your friend busy with some random conversation that you <em> obviously weren’t interested in because you weren’t included... </em>it was your chance to bring food to everyone else upstairs and warn them about the situation. </p><p> </p><p>As you were halfway up the steps, you heard the two burst into laughter, and again you felt that stabbing sensation in your chest, along with a lump forming in your throat. Shaking it off, you walked all the way to the second floor and saw that everyone else was already gathered in the hallway.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, you guys are already up.” You commented, as you held up the plates to them. “...Breakfast?” </p><p> </p><p>“(Name), what’s going on?” Charlie asked as she stepped towards you. “We heard an unfamiliar voice downstairs. It wasn’t that lady across the street...it sounded someone...younger.”</p><p> </p><p>You gave an awkward laugh. “Ahah, well...it’s actually, uhm, my friend. She’s...well…” You trailed, handing over the plates to Vaggie before you continued. “Long story short, she needs to crash here for the night...so I hope you guys don’t mind if you...stay inside the rooms until she leaves?” </p><p> </p><p>“Aww, c’mon, toots! We’re already cooped in here as it is!” Angel Dust complained, raising his hands in exasperation. “It’s just another girl like you! What’s seein’ a buncha demons from Hell gonna cause?” </p><p> </p><p>“...A lot of problems.” you muttered under your breath. She’s a girl just like you. Just like you, she knows and loves these Hazbin characters--<em> especially </em> a certain deer demon you <em> do not </em> want to let go. You saw Angel raise an eyebrow, and you quickly had to follow up your comment with an excuse. “What I mean is, we’re gonna have a lot of problems if she sees...a bunch of demons from Hell. You can’t transform yourself to look human like Alastor could...so please, <em> please </em>stay up here, in your rooms for now.”</p><p> </p><p>“We understand, (Name). It’d bring us more bad than good if anyone else finds out about us...and we really don’t want to cause you any trouble.” Charlie reassured you, giving you a soft smile. She turned around to face the other four demons. “Alright, guys. I think it’d be best if we all just stay in one room, so it’d be easier for (Name) to bring us food and stuff--why don’t we go to the room Vaggie and I are staying in, it’s pretty big.”</p><p> </p><p>You nodded. “Charlie’s right. I’d really appreciate it if you all cooperate.” </p><p> </p><p>Everyone else except Charlie and Vaggie looked hesitant, if not slightly irked of being limited of their movement even further. Husk found an affinity for drunkenly passing out in the living room. Angel Dust treats the storage room as his secret, personal Atlantis, sneaking in there and downing a few beers before a good night’s sleep (after yapping and bitching and whining at Husk over the smallest and most random of things). And Niffty, well, she has a strong sense of need to rewatch every scene that has her favorite anime characters in it. </p><p> </p><p>And all that involves being downstairs.</p><p> </p><p>You rubbed your temples. There wasn’t much time for you to spare right now, your friend might start getting suspicious of your prolonged absence...that and...you’re...low-key...maybe just very low-key worried that she and a certain deer demon might...hit it off well...<em> too well. </em></p><p> </p><p>Sighing, you gave them a hard stare. Gesturing at Angel and Husk to catch both of their attention, you gave a straightforward offer. “I’ll bring you guys a case of beer on the condition that the two of you obediently stay inside the room and not make a single peep or cause any sort of trouble for anyone.” </p><p> </p><p>Directing your finger to point at Niffty, you continued, “There’s another ‘small screen’ in my parents’ room and I have DVDs of the anime you really like so you can rewatch all you like all day.” </p><p> </p><p>“None of you guys have to do any chores for today, and I’ll take care of whatever’s essential. Sound fair?” </p><p> </p><p>Angel Dust, Husk and Niffty gave off blank expressions for a good moment while they processed, but their eyes shone when they realized it was all in their favor. The three looked at each other, then back at you. Laughing, the effeminate arachnid spoke for them. “Ha! Ya son of a bitch, we’re in!” </p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t help but chuckle at their response. Charlie and Vaggie also smiled, relieved that they all agreed. As the three began to disappear into your parents’ room, the princess and her partner stayed behind. “(Name), we take it that Alastor is downstairs, too?” Vaggie asked, not looking too pleased by it. </p><p> </p><p>Nodding, your smile began to fade. “...Yeah, he’s in his human form now, so...things are okay so far…” </p><p> </p><p>“...Will you be okay? Will you and your friend be okay?” Charlie asked nervously. You found it really sweet for her to worry about you, and even for someone she has not even met yet. Needless to say, you were touched and...you don’t want to let her down after such a show of care. </p><p> </p><p>Giving her and Vaggie a confident smile, you replied, “We’ll be okay.”</p><p> </p><p>“Alright,” she gave your shoulder a light pat. “Just don’t hesitate to call if you really need help, okay?” </p><p> </p><p>“Of course,” you agreed. You started walking back to the stairs, “Thanks, guys.”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>When you arrived downstairs, you cautiously crept over to the kitchen, filled a glass with water, and went back to the living room. There, you saw your friend and Alastor seated beside each other on the sofa, enthusiastically conversing about something--only to immediately pause once you arrived. </p><p> </p><p>“...What’s the matter?” you inquired, slightly (read: immensely) feeling left out of the conversation. You have no idea what the two were talking about, but they seemed to have been enjoying themselves. How...nice.</p><p> </p><p>Your friend shook her head. “Nothing! We, uhm, were just talking.” </p><p> </p><p>“About...what, exactly?” you prodded as you handed her the glass of water. She gently accepted and took a sip. Placing the glass onto the coffee table in front of her seat, she gave a nervous smile. “About you--” she blurted, but quickly followed with, “--and Al!” </p><p> </p><p>You crossed your arms. “Oh? Like what?” </p><p> </p><p>(Friend’s Name) suddenly looked away, to anywhere other than your eyes. “Well--” </p><p> </p><p>“Dear, you must be famished! I believe you haven’t eaten breakfast, yet?” Alastor exclaimed, standing up.  </p><p>You looked at him and replied, “Yeah, I…”</p><p> </p><p>“Isn’t that right, Ms. (Friend’s Name)?” He glanced at your friend, who was still seated. She smiled at him, and nodded. “You’re right. I’m really sorry for intruding like this.” </p><p> </p><p>“Nonsense! You are a delight to be around!” he told her. As he began walking over to the kitchen, he called out, “We’ve got breakfast prepared here.”</p><p> </p><p>When Alastor was already out of view, your friend turned to you and grinned. “Gee, (Name). You’re so lucky to have a really nice boyfriend!” </p><p> </p><p>“I...am.” you managed to reply, despite feeling yourself grit your teeth. You like your friend a whole lot, you care about her deeply--but what was that all about? It felt really off--if you didn’t know better, it was like they were doing something worthy of jealousy should Alastor have been your actual boyfriend. “What were you two talking about?” you asked in a lowered voice.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, it started out as small talk about how life was going--and he told me you things were going well with you two.” she started, her volume matching yours. </p><p> </p><p><em> That liar </em>.</p><p> </p><p>Things were definitely <em> not </em>going well. You couldn’t predict what Alastor was trying to do. On one hand he listened to your request to help you out, he transformed into a human and did not give away being a Radio Demon...and on the other hand, he was obviously, blatantly giving you the cold shoulder. </p><p> </p><p>“And then we started getting to know each other,” (Friend’s Name) added she walked beside you on the way to the kitchen. “He’s so much like Alastor! No wonder you didn’t let this one out of your grasp!” </p><p> </p><p>For a moment you felt panicked, hearing her give away a certain deer’s name, but you realized there was nothing to worry about now that he already knew. Forcing a smile, you answered, “Y-Yeah. What--What made you say that, though?” </p><p> </p><p>“I mean, c’mon, (Name). He’s got the looks, the style, the <em> attitude </em> --if I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought that he was <em> actually Alastor for Hazbin Hotel! </em>” she grinned at you, genuinely excited. As you two found your way to the dinner table, your friend continued, “Seriously, I can’t believe you haven’t gotten Al to watch Hazbin Hotel! He’s your boyfriend for crying out loud!”</p><p> </p><p>You had an Angel Dust moment and just wanted to stomp on your friend’s foot for being such a loudmouth of things you don’t want to have said aloud. Trying your hardest to not let your smile falter, you replied, “W-Well, I don't think Al would be interested.”</p><p> </p><p>Alastor laughed at your excuse, bending down to level with you...r friend (something you did not expect, nor want to have seen coming), the tall man gave a big smile and told her, “Oh, don’t believe her, I’m <em> very interested. </em>” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh.” she softly replied, suddenly dazed by the gesture. When you took a more focused look at her, you could see a dust of light pink spread across her face. <em> She was fucking blushing. </em></p><p> </p><p>
  <em> This traitor! </em>
</p><p> </p><p>You wanted to call her out for it. You wanted to drag her away from him. You wanted to just tell the both of them to stop it this instant. <em> You could. </em> In this situation, where you were supposedly Al’s girlfriend-- <em> you could. Oh, you fucking could. </em></p><p> </p><p>But, you couldn’t. </p><p> </p><p>Because you knew, at the end of the day, it was all just <em>one big</em> <em>lie.</em></p><p> </p><p>You had no hold over Alastor. It may have been indescribably convenient for you to be the one he met first, the one who gave them a place to stay, the one who became his pretend lover as an excuse to his sudden existence...but when all comes down to it...<em> what were you to Alastor? </em></p><p> </p><p>Were you just that? Were you just...<em> conveniently there </em>?</p><p> </p><p>It could be any other fangirl like you--and right now, there was another fangirl who he could like a little better...or maybe even more. Who were you to stop anything from happening? Who were you to hinder your friend from such an opportunity?  </p><p> </p><p>Both of you were obsessed over Alastor. Both of you love him immensely. He was that one good thing that made you hold on to the Hazbin Hotel fandom in the first place. There were so many things that were going on at a day-to-day basis online, so much drama and toxicity...as does any fandom would experience...but there were days you felt at your lowest with the community...and you almost left...but the second you look at that smug, deer demon bastard’s face, you just melt.</p><p> </p><p>And at that, you were still in the fandom to this day. For him. </p><p> </p><p>But the thing is, no matter how much you like him, it would be all for nothing if he finds himself liking some other fangirl--especially if it was your friend, you knew she was an awesome person that wouldn’t be hard to like. </p><p> </p><p>She was nicer, more generous, sincere, supportive, you name it. It wouldn’t be a surprise to you if everyone else in this house would drop everything to stay with her instead. It would’ve been for the best. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> But is that really how you feel?  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Before you could contemplate further on the thought, your friend’s hand was suddenly in front of you, she was snapping her fingers. “Uhm? Earth to (Name)? You okay?” </p><p> </p><p>Finding yourself back to reality, you realized that (Friend’s Name) was already seated, while you were still standing up. “Yeah, hahah, totally. Just...spaced out there.” Uncomfortably, you gave a chuckle and sat down.</p><p> </p><p>Breakfast went by tolerably, with (Friend’s Name) gushing over the food excessively, completely flabbergasted over how bacon, eggs, and sausages that Al cooked were a million times better than anything she had ever tasted. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The day felt <em> unbearably slow </em>. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“I should get to know more about you, Ms. (Friend’s Name), you are my...<em> darling </em>’s dear friend, after all.” Alastor proposed, spending most of his time acquainting himself more with your so-called friend. </p><p> </p><p>You couldn’t even bear to stay angry at her because every time Al tries to isolate you from the conversation, she finds a way to make a segway that includes you. Based on her knowledge that Al was your boyfriend, she was making sure she doesn’t do anything that would be out of bounds for her. </p><p> </p><p>For most of the day, you were quite busy. It was a juggle between tending to the needs of the other demons upstairs, actually working on finishing your deadlines from work, and watching over Alastor and (Friend’s Name) who was hitting it off really well. <em> Really well. </em></p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>When evening finally strolled by, you cautiously took in the plates that Alastor had set aside for Charlie and the others and snuck it upstairs while your friend went to the toilet. It was still quiet between you and Alastor without your friend around, and although you wanted to talk it out with him at the time, you really had to make most of your friend’s absence to go upstairs inconspicuously. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Knocking thrice on the door to your parents’ room, you saw it creak open. When Charlie acknowledged that it was you, she flashed you a big smile and invited you in. </p><p> </p><p>“Dinner’s here, you guys!” Charlie announced with a smile, taking the plates from your hand and placing it on the bed. </p><p> </p><p>Everyone was in their own little spot. Niffty had her eye glued to the small TV set that had anime playing. Angel Dust and Husk were in a corner, each with a bottle in hand...no, wait Angel had four hands...so he had like four bottles. But then again...Husk had three other bottles under his wing. Needless to say, it was obvious they passed out from all the liquor, much to Vaggie’s ire. </p><p> </p><p>The princess let out a nervous laugh. “Well, at least they’re quiet, right?” </p><p> </p><p>“They’re not gonna have any more than this much beer for a whole week.” Vaggie commented, frowning at the disgraceful sight of the spider and cat demon. You could softly hear Angel Dust talking in his sleep, something about nuggets. It felt vaguely familiar. </p><p> </p><p>It was cute in its own way, causing you to chuckle lightly. “Thanks again, you guys.”</p><p> </p><p>“(Name), it’s the least we could do, really.” Charlie told you, her girlfriend nodding in agreement. Vaggie’s expression transitioned to a troubled one when she asked, “Alastor isn’t causing any trouble, is he?”</p><p> </p><p>“...No, he’s...behaved.” you answered, trying to conceal the bitterness in your voice. <em> Too behaved, actually. </em>As much as you tried to hide it, Vaggie wasn’t fully convinced. </p><p> </p><p>She placed a hand on her hip. “Are you sure? You seem a bit tense about it.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ahah, well...Alastor is cooperating, really. He’s actually...treating my friend really...nicely…” you answered the moth demon. Looking away, you continued, “It’s just that, well, you can never really tell what Alastor is thinking, so I always have to...keep an eye out, y’know?” </p><p> </p><p>“You’re right. I’m glad to know you’re still on your guard around that bastard.” Vaggie frowned at the mere thought of Alastor, in all his arrogant and condescending everyday self. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Well, he certainly knows how to keep someone on their toes...uncomfortably. </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Biting your tongue to hold back unconsciously letting your thoughts escape, you just winced. “...I know I have to.” </p><p> </p><p>“Just don’t ever hesitate to call out for us, okay?” Charlie reminded you once more, pulling you in for a quick hug. It was really heartwarming, how these two were looking out for you. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> It almost makes you feel a trickle of guilt for holding them back from returning back to Hell.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Ah, you’re horrible. </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Maybe that’s why things just won’t work out the way you would want it to? </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Repressing the thoughts over to the back of your mind, as a postponement of your self-wallowing for a later time, you gave them a small smile. “Okay. Thanks, you guys.” </p><p> </p><p>Quietly, you left the room and headed downstairs. You heard another round of laughter from the two, who were already enjoying a nice conversation over dinner. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, (Name)! You’re back. What took you so long? Alastor said you had to take care of something upstairs and that you insisted we go on ahead and eat.” (Friend’s Name) explained gleefully, taking in another spoonful of gumbo that your...de facto boyfriend had prepared. </p><p> </p><p>Holding back a frown, but unable to give a smile either, you monotonously replied with, “Ah. Right. Just...stuff for work.” </p><p> </p><p>“You sure?” she asked you, a soft look at her face. She looked genuinely concerned for you, and you knew she was. Letting your lips curl up to…somewhat of a smile, you began eating your dinner. “Yes, I’m sure. It’s just some stressing...work stuff. Y’know how it is.” </p><p> </p><p>“Gosh, I know what you mean. I almost got laid off from work the other week, but luckily they just changed our shifts to a four-day work week, so we just lost a day for salary.” Your friend shared in between bites. “How about your workplace, (Name)? I heard that a lot of hotels and restaurants have closed down because of the quarantine. I think I recall that some of them were your clients?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh? Is that so?” Alastor interjected, redirecting his gaze from your friend...to you.</p><p> </p><p>Another wave of panic began to flow through your insides. Why was it that when you <em> didn’t </em>want him to look at you, he did? What kind of cruel joke is at play here? </p><p> </p><p>Brushing it off, you chuckled. “Yeah, ahahah...but it’s alright. We’re still holding up pretty well.” </p><p> </p><p>“That’s great to hear!” your friend beamed at you. “Girl, you’ve got the life! I mean--okay, I know we’re going through something bad globally, there’s a pandemic, after all--but it’s just...I’m glad you’re getting through this alright. Your salary is still stable--<em> and </em> you’ve pretty much got yourself your own chef with Al as your boyfriend! Ha!” she laughed, as she was finishing up her meal. “I’m telling ya, drag Al into the Hazbin Hotel fandom and it’s pretty much complete! I bet he could perfectly cosplay as Alastor!”</p><p> </p><p>You froze for a moment. Just the thought of it made you feel something undeniable. You wanted to squeal with delight. <em> Of course, this beautiful and delicious man could perfectly cosplay Alastor--he </em> <b> <em>is </em> </b> <em> Alastor!  </em></p><p> </p><p>Unable to contain it any longer, you laughed aloud. “Oh, he definitely would! I’d love to see that!” </p><p> </p><p>“Seriously, (Name).” Your friend laughed alongside you, placing her utensils down. “I’m so surprised you haven’t introduced your boyfriend to your <em> beloved demon deer dadd--” </em></p><p> </p><p>“<b>D-DISHES! I’LL DO THE DISHES RIGHT NOW!” </b> You exclaimed, face completely red. <em> Of course you were fucking flustered.  </em></p><p> </p><p>From the corner of your eye, you swore you saw Alastor <em> smirk </em>for a split-second.  </p><p> </p><p>Your friend raised an eyebrow at you, which was completely understandable after that weird scene you just made. “Uhm, I was actually planning on washing the dishes. It’s the least I could do, after all. Uh, but...are you alright, (Name)?” </p><p> </p><p>“Yes! Definitely! I’m fine!” you quickly replied, successively. You know, in a way that<em> obviously </em> showed that you <em> weren’t okay. </em></p><p> </p><p>Awkwardly, as you usually were, you fumbled as you picked up the utensils and plates and walked over to the sink. You exhaled deeply and softly followed it up with, “...Really, I’m fine.” </p><p> </p><p>Uncertain of what to make of your strange actions, your friend gave you the benefit of the doubt. “Alright. I’ll just help clean up the table.” </p><p> </p><p>Silence fell across the room. You noticed that Alastor had left the room, leaving just you and your friend alone, neither of you had said anything for a good few minutes. </p><p> </p><p>“Hey, (Name)?” </p><p> </p><p>“...Yeah?” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“<em> ...Am I...being a bother to you? </em>”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Then, there was another pang of guilt. Throughout the day, your friend was just being as she always was--your friend. She trusted you, and believed that you were perfectly alright with her staying over for a night...but in reality, you weren’t alright with this situation at all. </p><p> </p><p>Being the painfully selfish fangirl that you were, you couldn’t bring yourself to not feel envious, to not feel uneasy, to not feel...to not feel that your friend was in the way of you getting all those missed moments with Alastor. </p><p> </p><p>You feel like scum.</p><p> </p><p>Placing the plates back in the cupboard, you replied. “Of course not, (Friend’s Name). You’re an awesome friend, one of the nicest I’ve got.” Facing her, you gave a soft smile.  “You’re never a bother.”</p><p> </p><p>“Thanks, (Name).” She returned your smile and pulled you in for a gentle hug. “I’m glad you’re my friend.” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> You really feel like scum. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>After cleaning up, the two of you began to head upstairs. When you both arrived at the second floor, you saw Alastor, who coincidentally, was about to head downstairs. “Ah, it seems you two ladies have already finished up downstairs.” </p><p> </p><p>“Yep!” your friend answered. As the two made small talk, you unlocked the door to your room. Turning back to (Friend’s Name), you called out to her. “My room’s here, we can share my bed.” </p><p> </p><p>Both your friend and Alastor walked towards you. Your door was slightly ajar, and the lights were still off so he’s not really able to see much inside (that, and you already kept your posters away but he doesn’t know that--), but the way you kept everyone away from your room has him intrigued. </p><p> </p><p>“What?” she gave you a confused look, shifting her gaze between you and Alastor. “Girl, where will Al sleep?” </p><p> </p><p>Your face went full red again. “What?!” Struggling to gather your composure, you covered your embarrassment with a really ugly laugh. “Oh! Hahaha, no no no no no <em> no... </em> Ala-- <em> I mean </em>, Al is totally fine with sleeping in the guest room over there!” </p><p> </p><p>She blinked at you repeatedly and gave a tight smile. </p><p> </p><p>“Ha! <em> No. </em>” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>You knew that your friend was referencing a Hazbin quote, and you would have been normally all for it--but you didn’t like where this situation was turning into. Suddenly, you saw Alastor flinch, which alarmed you--especially when you felt a hand on your back, as well. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Oh, that’s why he flinched.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Giggling, (Friend’s Name) pushed you and Alastor into your room, the sudden movement made you accidentally fall over with your so-called boyfriend in tow, giving your friend the opportunity to close the door. Hearing her footsteps from the outside, you sensed that she had walked over to the room across. <em> Click </em>. And at that, she went inside the guest room and locked the door. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Realizing your position, you scrambled away from Alastor, both of you were seated about a good foot away from each other now. In the darkness of the room, you saw his eyes faintly glow red. </p><p> </p><p>Since (Friend’s Name) was no longer in the picture, he didn’t have to put up his human form facade. Going off on the glow of his eyes alone, you could tell that he reverted to his default form. Well, for now at least. </p><p> </p><p>“...Well, quite the friend you have there.” he spoke as he stood up, you could hear him dusting his clothes. The air around the two of you felt thicker once more, it made it difficult for you to think of a proper response. </p><p> </p><p>Bringing your knees to your chest to hug them, you weakly replied. “...Yeah.” </p><p> </p><p>“Worry not, I’m quite certain you don’t want me here--especially in the sacred land of a young woman’s room.” he gave a quick laugh. “I’ll just stay downstairs.” </p><p> </p><p>As the air felt thicker and thicker, so did an unbearable heaviness within you had grown. You just wanted to bring back whatever you and Alastor had before. You wished the other night never happened, you just….you just wish you could just reach out to him and say,</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“<b>Don’t go.”</b></p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>The words unconsciously left your lips, your hand had unconsciously moved to tightly grab onto the tail of his coat. For a fleeting moment, you heard static...radio static, which was replaced with a soft, yet dark laugh. </p><p> </p><p>“My dear, it must have been a long day for you. Your fatigue has caused you to say the strangest of things.” he told you, still frozen in place. “I’ll let you try again. What did you<em> really </em>mean to say?” </p><p> </p><p>Your breath hitched, and your hand momentarily trembled, but still held your grasp on the soft fabric of his coattail. Letting your heart take over your mind, you were determined to tell him what you really meant.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <b>“Don’t go.”</b>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>He turned around to face you, causing you to let go of his coat. As you were still seated on the floor, he knelt down on one knee to bring his eyes leveled to yours. As the glow of his eyes grew brighter, illuminating you both in a red tinge, you saw his signature smile spread across his face. </p><p> </p><p>He laughed again, taking a lock of your hair and twirling it in his finger, a habit he seemingly had grown to be somehow fond of. In a mischievous tone, he broke through the silence that once filled the room. </p><p> </p><p>
  <b> <em>“You’re going to regret that, darling.”</em> </b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Will you really, darling? </p><p>With Alastor, you really can't tell. x"D </p><p>Thank you so much for reading! I really secretly enjoyed this chapter, even if it did made me kind of wallow in guilt and sadness and jealously...and flail in secondhand embarrassment over the "beloved deer demon dadd--" part because if it were me I would literally die if my friend exposed me to Alastor like that x"D But anyways! I'm really enjoying this fanfic, and I really hope you still are, too! :") You guys are a source of my strength and writing motivation and hhhh thank you for being such precious beans hehe. </p><p>Food for thought for next chapter: If people say or do good things, does it mean they're a good person? Or do you think that this world is still as bleak as it had always been--where no one ever does kindness for free, or does things out of the goodness of their heart? </p><p>Thanks again for reading!! &lt;3 Do follow me on Twitter, flamehazelollipop @HHQWMD! I also make fanart and song covers of Hazbin-related songs! I recently posted my female Alastor cover of "Alastor's Reprise" &lt;3 </p><p>Let me know how you felt about this chapter! I'd love to hear all about it! &lt;3 </p><p>Stay home and stay safe, everyone! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Don't Look Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey, everyone! Sorry I suddenly went away for so long!! I've just had a really rough month this June, and I took my time in coping with it--but I've gotten through it with the help of my friends I consider as family :")<br/>Thank you so much to everyone who's still into my fic! Thank you to all who commented in the previous chap, I'll do my best to reply to all of them. &lt;3 You'll be in for a ride this chapter ;) I hope y'all enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <b>“Don’t go.”</b>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned around to face you, causing you to let go of his coat. As you were still seated on the floor, he knelt down on one knee to bring his eyes leveled to yours. The glow from his eyes grew brighter, illuminating you both in a red tinge, perfectly complementing his signature smile that was spread across his face.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He laughed again, taking a lock of your hair and twirling it in his finger--a habit he seemingly had grown to be somehow fond of. In a mischievous tone, he broke through the silence that once filled the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“You’re going to regret that, darling.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>*~*~*~*</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Okay, (Name). </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deep breaths. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You just need to calm down. You’re fine. You’re 100% okay. You’re a responsible adult filled with composure, rationality, and...and adulting. Yeah. For sure. There’s nothing to panic about. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You’re just in your room...with a dangerous, sexy, and mouth-watering creature known as Alastor, the demon deer daddy of your dreams turned reality--your most unhealthy, intensely ambrosial object of your fangirl obsessions. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But that doesn’t matter here, no sir. You’re totally fine. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Alastor blinked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p><br/>
<em>
    <span>YOU’RE NOT OKAY, YOU LIAR! YOU ARE TOTALLY FREAKING OUT BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER YOU COULD HOLD YOURSELF BACK FROM CONFESSING YOUR UNDYING LOVE FOR THIS IMPOSSIBLY SMUG DEER BASTARD! </span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Yep, you’re hopeless. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>When you realized the proximity of your face with his, you let out a small </span>
  <em>
    <span>squeak </span>
  </em>
  <span>as your face turned completely red--which was hopefully unnoticeable in the darkness. In an attempt to save yourself from doing something stupid, you began moving away from him--only to, you know, lose your balance (like the dork you were) and just fall on your back. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ouch</span>
  </em>
  <span>…” you groaned, bringing your hands to massage the back of your head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You really have to be careful of falling, darling.” Alastor laughed, holding out a hand to you. Your eyes were already starting to adjust to the darkness, so you were able to somewhat see his gesture. It also helped that his eyes were like faint red light bulbs...and even then you still found it attractive. You were pretty much lost in them as he helped you up. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Very lost</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt as if your own eyes turned into tiny hearts as you dreamily stared into his red ones. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, it’s too late for that now.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hm?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mentally slapping yourself, you made yet another wrong step and accidentally caused Alastor to back up against the wall, hitting the light switch in the process. At that, your room lit up, revealing...your very plain, very standard abode. Alastor began to scan your room from left to right, humming as he tried looking for something of interest using his (beautiful) scrutinizing eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Stepping away from him, you tried to follow where his gaze set upon. There wasn’t anything to hide, but you just felt anxious thinking of what he would say in regard to your taste or personality based on just your room alone.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well,” he began, tapping his chin. “This is quite anticlimactic, don’t you think?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You weren’t sure whether to feel relieved or scared by his reaction. Either way, you were still anxious. “Wh-What do you mean?” You tried laughing it off. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alastor rolled his eyes. “Well, you made it sound like your room had something to hide, but it looks as normal as it could be. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Painfully plain</span>
  </em>
  <span>, my dear!” he snickered, bringing his attention to the little trinkets on your shelves. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Painfully plain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A part of you felt as if the words pricked you the wrong way. That was supposed to be your goal, right? To not...expose your stupidly immense thirst for him. You removed every single trace. You give your room a quick skim. Yep, every...single…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your eyes widened when you found yourself looking up to the ceiling. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You began to quickly recollect your memories from a few days ago, from when you tried to remove all Alastor-related merchandise from plain sight in your room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>=</span>
</p><p> </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>
      <span>You started carefully peeling off the Alastor posters plastered all over your bedroom walls. Carefully rolling them up, you decided to hide them safely inside one of your closets. Gathering your Alastor pillows and plushies and giving them one last hug, you gently placed them beside your rolled up posters. </span>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <em>
      <span>Your shirts that were once hung up on display were folded up and placed at the farther back of your other pile of clothes inside your drawers. The rest of the merch you’ve collected from all the conventions you attended, were placed inside another drawer. “Welp, that’s all of it.” you thought to yourself. </span>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
</blockquote><p>
  <em>
    <span>=</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You thought.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You fucking idiot! You only removed all the posters on your bedroom walls--you forgot about the ceiling! How could you even forget that! Was the sight so normalized that you failed to realize that it should not be up there anymore? How did you even place those posters up there, anyway?! </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Oh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You didn’t do that. You didn’t put up those posters on the ceiling yourself--your older brothers did. A few months ago, when you ran out of space on your walls to place your Alastor posters, you begged your very reluctant older brothers to help you by sticking your posters onto your room’s ceiling. They were always concerned about your obsession, but they figured that they preferred you went crazy over a fictional character than a real person. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But, ah, they’re pretty much wrong now. That fictional character they didn’t need to worry about as overprotective older brothers was </span>
  <em>
    <span>right here--and alone with you in your room, at that.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ha! They’d probably go livid. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Although, their worries are not invalid. Alastor was not only someone you were crazy about, he was also a demon that came straight from Hell. The Radio Demon that has exhibited his colossal power against a great deal of demons in Hell--even toppling overlords that ruled for centuries. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was someone to be feared. Someone to be cautious of. Someone to be steered clear of at all costs should you want to live. He was someone you weren’t supposed to involve yourself with. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was a flame that was burning bright, so bright that everyone who came across him couldn’t help but stop and stare...and become attracted to the light he emanated. However, come too close to him and he will burn you...without a trickle of remorse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yet</span>
  <em>
    <span>, </span>
  </em>
  <span>you would </span>
  <em>
    <span>still </span>
  </em>
  <span>walk towards him because he started a flame in your heart that you had fanned and fanned until you were almost engulfed by that flame that’s almost impossible to extinguish. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>And the thing is, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t want to extinguish it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>You were a helpless human through and through. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Speaking of being a helpless human--</span>
  <em>
    <span>what are you gonna do?! </span>
  </em>
  <span>You would </span>
  <em>
    <span>die of embarrassment </span>
  </em>
  <span>if Alastor saw those posters! Clenching your fists, you began hatching up a game plan.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Okay, the plan is simple. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>You wait for a while until (Friend’s Name) falls asleep. Alastor sneaks out to sleep downstairs. You survive tonight.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>However, the only way for you to survive tonight, is to make sure he </span>
  <em>
    <span>doesn’t look up.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That would be easy, right. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Right?</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as you were bringing your attention back to the deer demon, you found him tracing his finger across the books in your bookcase, the one beside your closet. Without turning to you, he spoke aloud, “You have quite a collection here. May I?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You found it endearing that he seemed to be fond of books. Not seeing anything wrong with letting him browse through them, you nodded. “Sure.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes lit up from your approval. You lightly chuckled. Settling on a thick book, he gave it a gentle wipe. You stepped closer to him to look at the book. It was surprising that the book only had a thin layer of dust. You don’t recall opening it recently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At that, something clicked in your mind. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s the book where you hid the Alastor sticker.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Your panic shot up to maximum when you realized that it  was slightly sticking out at the bottom. It seemed that Alastor had become so engrossed with the content of the first few pages that he hadn't noticed it yet. “Hm?” He squinted at the strange piece of paper that was protruding from the book. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nope, he just noticed. </span>
  </em>
  <span>ALERT, (NAME). Fucking run for it!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah!” Rushing over to his side you immediately clasped his hands with yours and closed the book shut. You realized it wasn’t the best idea--he didn’t like being touched. He sighed, as if mentally letting you off the hook, and waited for you to explain. “I--I just remembered that uh--this uhm, isn’t that great! I’ll--I’ll pick another book for you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nonsense, my dear. I can settle for this one.” As he was about to bring the book closer to him, you shook your head and countered him. “No no no, trust me, it’s uhm--uh…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then, with no other choice you let out the most insane response you could think of at the moment. “It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>porn</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s what?” Alastor swiftly shifted his attention to you now, loosening his grip on the book. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Trying your best to put up the most blank, unfeeling face you could give, you met his eyes with your empty ones and replied, “It’s porn. There’s</span>
  <em>
    <span> a lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> of sex. Very graphic. A lot of </span>
  <em>
    <span>crazy, intense </span>
  </em>
  <span>scenes. It’s so descriptive, it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>wild</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Yep. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Wild sex book </span>
  </em>
  <span>right here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hearing your explanation caused his lips and eyes to twitch. He was stunned for a split-second but decided to just laugh it off. “HA!” He instantly let go of the book, </span>
  <em>
    <span>almost shoved it </span>
  </em>
  <span>back to you, really. “Darling, you have quite an interesting taste in literature, but don’t waste your time in such ghastly subjects! There are a number of classics you’re better off with!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt your face heat up from the embarrassment. You wanna die. Seriously. Right now. You’ve tainted your image just to save yourself from what? From a measly sticker of him? It was uncertain now which was the lesser of the two evils. Now Alastor thinks you’re some wild sex-enthusiast. Great, (Name)! Good going! UGH.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letting out a sigh, you rolled your eyes. “Yes, yes, I know.” You pushed the sticker further back inside the book. Placing it back to the shelf, you saw Alastor already decided to move on a few steps away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Honestly, during my time, we’ve had a hefty amount of good authors that wrote books like an esteemed musician composing melodies. If you haven’t read anything from Fitzgerald or Hemingway or any other author popular during the Roaring Twenties--then you are truly missing out!” He told you enthusiastically, taking your hand in his and pulling you in for a little spin. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You gave a soft chuckle as you looked up to face him. “I guess I really am missing out.” The smile that was forming on your lips quickly faltered when you witnessed one of your posters on the ceiling beginning to slowly peel off. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Are you fucking kidding me right now?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” you were mentally screeching. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Here’s a big problem. Alastor was so tall, his deer ears could almost brush against the poster, should it peel off further. Oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell no.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seeing as you were looking above him in a daze, the deer demon grew curious. Snapping out of it when you noticed this, you suddenly exclaimed, “Al! Uhm, maybe--maybe you can recommend a book to me sometime? I could try and see if we have it here at home!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That would be wonderful!” he replied, looking down to meet your eyes...and your strange, awkward smile. You’re a silly one, but he appreciates your interest. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turning around, he began to walk over to the other side of the room. You had photographs hung up on that particular side. You almost forgot about them because it got overshadowed by all the Alastor posters you used to have up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From observation, by watching the pilot episode to his mannerisms here in your world, you found that Alastor seemed to be fond of looking at photographs. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“This portrait is quite lovely.” Alastor commented, studying a particular picture frame hung up on your wall. It had a photo of you, wearing a black graduation gown with a medal pinned on the lower center of the hood in front, showing a logo of the university you studied at.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You initially smiled like a dork, but as you went to stand beside him, you felt a wave of unwelcome sentimentality wash over you. Your smile began to fade, shifting gazes from Alastor and your portrait. “...Do you really think so? I actually think I look...</span>
  <em>
    <span>tired</span>
  </em>
  <span> in that pic.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was true. From up close, you could see that you had dark circles around your baggy eyes. The makeup artists in the studio you had the picture taken tried their best to cover it up, but even concealers could only do so much. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At the time, your sleep schedule was totally whack, as you had so many requirements and deadlines to comply with. Spiraling back into everything you’ve gone through back in college made you realize that you went through a lot of stressful and unfortunate series of events to get you to where you were right now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was funny how you started out with stars in your eyes. You envisioned college in rose-colored lenses, and you paid the price for such unawareness. The sleepless nights, the unreasonable professors, the good moments you’ve missed out on...all just to crawl your way to that diploma. You felt irked and somehow ashamed to have barely made it, but you supposed what was done was done. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ha! Darling, I don’t think ‘tired’ is the right term for it.” Alastor chuckled, seemingly unable to tear his eyes away from your photo. You weren’t sure how to feel about him looking at your picture as if it was an obscure art piece at a museum. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...What’s the right term for it, then?” you asked, mentally listing down every possible description your self-deprecating self could recall. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You survived.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>That...was unexpected. You quickly turned to him, unable to give an immediate reply to his small comment. It was strange how those two words from him stunned you. “...What do you mean?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s what I see, dear.” he told you, placing his hands behind his back, eyes still on your photo. “Tired eyes do not just glimmer fatigue, darling. It gives off much more than that. Just looking at you here is enough to tell me you’ve fought demons and survived.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>An awkward laugh was your response, a form of coping mechanism you’ve accustomed yourself to when you were unsure of a person’s intentions to...somewhat compliments. “How would you know?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally turning to you, Alastor looked at you dead in the eyes and gave your nose a gentle poke. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ve seen the same look in the mirror.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>When his words hit you, you were stunned. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Share similarities with</span>
  <em>
    <span> Alastor? </span>
  </em>
  <span>You were flabbergasted just digesting the mere thought of it. This whole situation felt all too...soft and surreal at the same time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I recall being just as worn from the days I completed my schooling.” He mused, his usually wide grin softening little by little.  </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve gone to school, too?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alastor laughed. “Of course, my darling. I am an educated man, did you not catch that?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Embarrassed that you accidentally implied such a thing, you waved your hands in front of you. “No no, I just…” You paused, giving your cheek a light scratch. “I don’t really have much information on your past…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh? Curious now, are we?” he grinned at you, bending down to grace you with his stupidly smug, yet handsome face. The sudden closeness of his face with yours caused another blush. How dare this dapper bastard make you feel these feelings.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Satisfied with your troubled, flustered face, he went back to your photo. “But yes,” he confirmed. “My mother has worked hard so I could grow up educated--because that’s what had mattered during the time. We may not have had riches, but she knew that if I could at least be slightly more educated than most lads my age, I could somehow get by in life a little better.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alastor’s face began to relax, his smile giving off a more genuine air. “She’s worked for every nick and dime in her restaurant--the best in New Orleans, by the way--all for her son.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When I had my own photograph taken when I finished my schooling, I had intended to have my mother with me...but sadly she wasn’t able to arrive in time.” he sighed. For a moment, you noticed the hands that rested behind his back had shakily balled into fists, even though he still kept his smile intact. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why? What happened?” you asked, a mix of confusion and worry riddled your voice.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“It only took one crook.” </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He paused for a moment, you could hear his radio static begin to crackle ominously for a few seconds. “Sometimes, it just takes one crook to destroy a person’s entire world.”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alastor, I--” you wanted to apologize or give your rather late condolences or any of the sort, but he pressed a finger to your lips before you could continue. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His grin reverted to his usual one. “No matter what we say, there is no undoing what’s been done, my dear. The world’s a cruel dwelling place filled with an assortment of wretched beings.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s...in a better place now.” You softly commented after you took a step away from him, trying to bring light to the conversation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, of course, she is! She deserves only the best--if I ever find out they’re treating her with anything less, I’ll go up there myself and wreak havoc in the heavens! Hahaha!” he laughed maniacally, enjoying the thought of causing mayhem up in the clouds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a bittersweet thought, but you couldn’t help but let out a laugh with him. “You, wreaking havoc in the heavens? Why do I feel like that’s entirely possible when it comes to the Radio Demon?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that so?” he asked, tilting his head. You grinned at him. “I’m sure you’d be able to do whatever you set your mind on.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You flatter me so, my dear.” He laughed. “I have not heard a sound compliment the whole day!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt elated that he was pleased by your compliment, but his follow-up caused you to raise an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that? I’m sure (Friend’s Name) had such a mouthful of compliments for Alastor, The Radio Demon, right?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your friend? Oho! She’s a charming girl, but my oh my, she seems rather intolerable when she begins talking about me.” Alastor told you blandly. He was still smiling, but his furrowed eyebrows were a telltale sign that he was not happy about it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raising his hands, he asked, “Are ladies nowadays unashamed to display such...inappropriately enthusiastic affection towards others they know next to nothing about?”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It was as if there was an invisible knife that stabbed you all over. </span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-Well, it’s uhm, she’s just very...</span>
  <em>
    <span>passionate</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that’s all.” you tried to defend her (...and maybe yourself included). It was true, though, right? It was just that you two were very passionate about a certain character. Was it </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> fault that he was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>goddamn attractive </span>
  </em>
  <span>for a murderous demon deer from Hell?</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The said deer demon shrugged at your reply. “There is a fine line between being passionate and having unbefitting conduct--and I know that I riddle through that line, but that’s only when it involves murder.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You squinted at the latter part of his statement, but understood what he was trying to say. Although you couldn’t help it, you knew that your obsession for him borders on the extremes. It was like a vice you couldn’t rid of even if you were well aware it was bad for you. You know it is.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“--But I’m certain </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re </span>
  </em>
  <span>better than that. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Right</span>
  </em>
  <span>, darling?” His tone was light but confident. He was </span>
  <em>
    <span>confident</span>
  </em>
  <span> that you were somehow a more decent person than your friend...but he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>so wrong.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You were evidently worse than anything he could imagine.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Of...course…” you found yourself saying, your lips curling up to a small smile. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You liar.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Knowing his thoughts on typical fangirl behavior, caused a knot to tie in your stomach. If Alastor ever finds out about your real thirsty, obsessive fangirl self, it would completely </span>
  <em>
    <span>ruin</span>
  </em>
  <span> the relationship between you two. He would be </span>
  <em>
    <span>disgusted</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you could tell. Seeing that actually happen would...</span>
  <em>
    <span>.break you. </span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You find him too important to lose.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Lying to him about this made you feel so horrible. Both to him and to your friend. It was petty of you to try and conceal a part of you, and even to the expense of a friend you held dear. And yet...even if you knew it was wrong, you couldn’t help yourself from doing it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You know it was wrong and yet you still do it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That’s even worse.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as you were being swallowed up by the undeniable guilt, gravity began its silent protest against you and is now causing the Alastor poster on your ceiling to peel off even further, merely an inch from the Radio Demon’s deer ear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The anxiety that was building up inside you was starting to muddle your thoughts. If that poster brushes against his ear even by a split-second, you knew he would look up--and once he does--it’s the end game for you. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s over</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It’s all over. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Noticing that you were somehow unresponsive, Alastor stepped towards you to get your attention. It did.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It did because him doing so resulted in the one thing </span>
  <em>
    <span>you didn’t want to happen</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alastor’s right deer ear twitched as it hit the thin paper that was hanging down. That was enough for him to let out a radio-filtered, “Hm?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>No. No. No. </span>
  <em>
    <span>No. NO.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t look up. Don’t look up. Please.</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t look up. </span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Prayers mean nothing. They never did. Your heart was beating so loudly you felt like it was going to burst out of your chest. It was clouding your rationality, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>boy</span>
  </em>
  <span>, were you going to regret everything. Just a second before he lands his eyes to the ceiling, you put in action the most </span>
  <em>
    <span>desperate</span>
  </em>
  <span> move you could think of at the moment.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You yanked on his collar and pressed your lips onto his. </span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>At that moment, you knew that what you had done was about to cause your immediate death. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, so you thought. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You didn’t expect Alastor to kiss back. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oh. Did the Radio Demon just...kiss you back?! :&gt;c</p><p>I ended it there because I'm still a demon for cliffhangers XD Thank you so much for reading! I love delving into both Reader and Alastor's characters. I want to make Reader as human as possible. Being the protagonist shouldn't make you some perfect being that everyone will love. Reader is just as flawed as we are. We're selfish, we lie, and we do stupid things. But that is how we grow up, we grow and learn from our experiences. Like I've mentioned before, I wanted this fic to talk about toxic fangirling. Funnily enough, a few real life situations have shown me how bad it could lead up to. When Alastor was just a fictional character, it was fine--but now that he, in this fic, became a 'real' being, Reader should now realize where to draw the lines. The thing is, will she be able to do it in time? </p><p>For Alastor, I just melt when talking about his mother. :( I know that Alastor is a sinister demon that will not hesitate to murder on sight, but he was once human, too. The most heartless of creatures tend to be a result of an extreme heartbreak of a person full of love. </p><p>Food for thought for next chapter? Well, I'll just leave y'all to think of the fact that Alastor smooched you back. Hahaha! </p><p>Hi, Rona, Geff and Lucy! &lt;3 Hope you guys enjoyed this one hehe. (PS. I'm watching you, Rona (≖_≖ ))</p><p>Hi, Samantha hehe 🤭 hope the update didn't give much of a heart attack 😂</p><p>Thanks for reading! Phew, sorry the end notes are so long haha! I'll see y'all again next week! </p><p>Stay safe and take care, my quarantined darlings! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Demons Don't Get Even</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey, everyone! Sorry for the delay! I’ve gotten caught up in a lot of deadlines for work lately, but I was able to write this little by little hehe &lt;3 Thank you so much for all the love and support you guys have shown me and this fic. I hope y’all enjoy this chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Don’t look up.  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Prayers mean nothing. They never did. Your heart was beating so loudly you felt like it was going to burst out of your chest. It was clouding your rationality, and <em> boy </em> , were you going to regret everything. Just a second before he lands his eyes to the ceiling, you put in action the most <em> desperate </em> move.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> You yanked on his collar and pressed your lips onto his.  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>At that moment, you knew that what you had done was about to cause your immediate death. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Well, so you thought. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> You didn’t expect Alastor to kiss back.  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>*~*~*~* </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Was it finally your time to die?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>That had to have been the only explanation as to why your unworthy lips were still locked with Alastor’s soft ones. A million thoughts were running in your mind, but they somehow ended up short circuiting. You felt lightheaded and warm--is this how it feels to <em>lose yourself</em> in a kiss?</p><p> </p><p>No matter how thrilled you should have been during the entire moment, you felt yourself waking up. Is this really happening? You always wanted this right? This is…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> This is wrong.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>As you loosened your grip on his collar and eventually brought your hands back to your sides, the two of your gazes met, his irises constricted almost comically from how wide his eyes became. Immediately, Alastor broke the kiss and literally teleported himself all the way to the door. </p><p> </p><p>Even from afar, you saw his face. His usual smile had distorted strangely--a mix of embarrassment, confusion, perhaps even concern.</p><p> </p><p>He had lost his composure. </p><p> </p><p>That...was new.</p><p> </p><p>Looking away, he raised his arm to cover his face. However, his furrowed brows gave away his troubled condition. “I-I must head downstairs now...” he told you, his voice was monotonous, unlike his usual jubilant tone. He turned around to twist the doorknob. “... Good night.”</p><p> </p><p>“... Good night, Alastor.” </p><p> </p><p>Swiftly, he opened the door and closed it behind him. You faintly heard his steps fade as he walked away. All you were left with was ear-ringing silence. As if your body sensed that you no longer needed to stay afloat, your knees slowly gave in and caused you to plop down on the floor with a soft <em> thud </em>. Adding more mockery to your unimaginable turn of events, the poster that was previously barely hanging had completely peeled off the ceiling and gracefully fell down into your hands. </p><p> </p><p>Turning the paper over to reveal the image printed on it, you were met with the all-too-familiar smile from a certain demon deer daddy that you had <em>clearly</em> been smooching earlier. As if the mere recognition of his face felt burning to the touch, you immediately tossed the poster away from you, your face just glowing as red as his hair. His<em> soft…</em> <em>smooth.</em>..hair. </p><p> </p><p><em> Wait,no</em>.                                                                                        </p><p> </p><p>You brought your hands to cover your incredibly warm face. Did you… mess up again? You messed up, right? You…kissed him without any warning whatsoever. That was pretty much the number one thing you <em> shouldn’t </em>have fucked up--but you still did it anyway. If that were the only thing that had happened, you would have had a clearer idea as to what to do next, but there was another thing that was at play. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Alastor kissed you back.  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Ruffling your own hair out of frustration, blood began to rush to your cheeks once more. Argh! <em> Why? </em> Why did he do that!? He’s not supposed to do that! Trying to just process the events that had just occurred moments ago made your head spin. Letting out a huff, you stood up and staggered towards the door to lock it. You lightly rested your forehead onto its wooden surface. “ <em> Why </em>?” </p><p> </p><p>You always knew that Alastor was an enigmatic being, always filled with mystery and unpredictability to a fault. You knew that. Yet...you didn’t know that his <em> spontaneous responses </em>were of heights you couldn’t comprehend! </p><p> </p><p>But hey, isn’t it your fault? </p><p> </p><p>Who started this whole kissing thing, anyway? Wasn’t it you? <em> You </em> were the one who just grabbed him by the collar and smooched him. For what? <em> For what? </em>If you were a rational human being who had known better and had better survival skills, you would have just let Alastor see the fucking poster, be hated by him, and be let off to live for being not worth his time!</p><p> </p><p>But <em> nope </em>! </p><p> </p><p>You basically chose death. You literally <em> doomed </em> your life to be <em> yeet-ed </em> by Alastor the next morning for sure. It wasn’t even certain if you would wake up tomorrow. Well, that is, if you could find the balls to sleep tonight after everything you had just done. </p><p> </p><p>After a groan and another light thump of your head onto the door, you decide that there really wasn’t anything else you could do at this point. Resigning yourself to bed, you let gravity do its wonders as you dived face first onto your soft mattress. Another groan of frustration left you. You rolled around and found yourself looking up at the ceiling. </p><p> </p><p>You know, the one filled with <em> Alastor, Alastor, Alastor, and Alastor.  </em></p><p> </p><p>“Why did you not fucking realize all these, (Name)?” </p><p> </p><p>Gazing into the demon deer’s photographs plastered all over your ceiling, you could feel those stars in your eyes reappearing again. <em> No. C’mon, (Name) </em>. </p><p> </p><p>Seeing the images sent you flashbacks of the compromising condition you brought yourself into earlier. You unconsciously brought your finger to lightly tap onto your lips.It’s there. Your lips were there. <em> It happened </em>. You did it. He did it. You two…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> This is so confusing.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Taking in the exhaustion you had to endure the whole day, you sunk into your bed and let out a deep, deep breath. So much has happened to you, and it hasn’t been a full week yet. Last Saturday, you thought you were subjected to another bland, uneventful weekend--but you were <em> so wrong </em>. Nothing was uneventful the whole week. Not a day had passed by without anything crazy happening. It feels incredulous to think that it has just been a week; it felt like months had already passed since that fateful day. </p><p> </p><p>Was it really fair for<em> you </em> to be the one to meet them? </p><p> </p><p>You wondered what the world was trying to tell you. Of all the people in this expanse world, why did it have to be you? What was so special about <em> you? </em> There wasn’t. You knew there wasn’t. You were just like any other fangirl out there. Should they grow tired of you, or find someone more capable to host them while they are stuck in the living world, they could easily up and leave,and you were sure it would be a no-brainer decision. </p><p> </p><p>You hoped that this world would let you hold on to your selfishness for a little while longer. </p><p> </p><p>Just for this quarantine. </p><p> </p><p>While you were wallowing in all your aimless reflections, you began to drift into a deep, troubled sleep. After all, you weren’t sure if you would still be alive when morning comes. </p><p> </p><p>Your dreams weren’t really helpful in your feeble attempt to seek refuge. Vague compilations of your moments with Alastor, both the good and the bad, cluttered your mind. Amidst all this, the feeling of wretchedness enveloped you. What you felt was wrong and you knew it. </p><p> </p><p>You struggled. You struggled to break free from that small, selfish world you trapped yourself in, but you couldn’t. As you tried to pound on the invisible walls that encased you, you found yourself falling instead. The fall caused you to jerk awake, forcing your eyes to open. It was morning. You were alive.</p><p> </p><p>Well, you got your answer. </p><p> </p><p>Being able to wake up alive was something you should be thankful for at this point. “What time is it…?” you mumbled to yourself, groggily searching for your phone around your bed. When you finally found it, you pressed on its power button. Bad idea, really, because the bright light of your screen made you squint on reflex, still sensitive to light. </p><p> </p><p>Adjusting to it, you found yourself noticing the barrage of texts that your friend had sent you last night.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> (Friend’s Name): Don’t be too loud now, you two~ :&gt;c  </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>You rolled your eyes at your friend’s silly text. She means well, but oh if she only knew what had really happened. Scrolling up, you saw her next text.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em> (Friend’s Name): Was your guest room always this humid? It’s like a swamp in here. :/ </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p> </p><p>Snorting at her small complaint, you shook your head. “That’s your fault. You wanted to stay in there instead.” you mumbled to yourself. Her next few texts after that were just random late night thoughts that she would send you from time to time whenever she couldn’t fall asleep. She probably struggled from the guest room’s atmosphere. You wondered how she would react if she found out that she slept in Alastor’s natural habitat in your home. </p><p> </p><p>Damn, now you feel slightly jealous. </p><p> </p><p>Just kidding. </p><p> </p><p>You were <em> really </em>jealous. </p><p> </p><p>As you were about to go on a mental rant about how your friend had unknowingly slept in <em> Alastor’s bed </em>of all places, mostly because you were feeling bitter that she had done it before you ever could, her next text caught your eye. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><blockquote>
  <p><em> (Friend’s Name): Hey, (Name)? I’m hearing strange noises in this room. I’m hearing </em> <em>something moving from under the bed. D: Maybe I’m just paranoid.</em></p>
</blockquote><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Raising an eyebrow at your friend’s strange message, you purse your lips. That’s such a weird observation to make--did Alastor try to pull anything on your friend? Did he try to scare her while she was in the guest room? You made a mental note to ask your friend about this later. </p><p> </p><p>“Well, might as well face the day.” You sighed as you made your way to your vanity mirror to comb your hair. “It might be your last (Name), you should make the most of it.” you told yourself aloud as you brushed your (hair color) locks. Looking closely at yourself, you realized you had bags under your eyes, and that you just generally looked tired--probably from this whole week’s neverending fiascos. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Slowly, you peered out, checking if anyone was in the hallway. It was considerably early, so it appears that (Friend’s Name) might not have gotten up yet. Taking light steps on your way down the stairs, you hear the familiar sizzling coming from the kitchen. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> Your heart pounded.  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Of course, it would <em> always </em> be <em> him </em> that you’d have to deal with first thing in the morning. Life seriously won’t give you a break, huh? </p><p> </p><p>You peered into the kitchen, seeing a familiar figure posed in front of the stove, with one hand probably on the pan’s handle, and another with a spatula. The only difference was that it <em> wasn’t </em>a red-haired demon deer, but a brown-haired human lad in his place. Well, it was understandable for him to still keep up the appearance since your friend was still in this house. </p><p> </p><p>From previous instances, you knew that Alastor must have already sensed your presence even with his back turned. He wasn’t saying a word, though. Silent treatment, <em> again </em>? </p><p> </p><p>Letting out a soft sigh, you walked inside the kitchen, keeping a good distance from him. He made no motion as you entered the room, if it weren’t for the sizzling of the bacon he was cooking, you would have been left with just ear-ringing silence. Nervously, you fiddled with your thumbs while sneaking gazes at him. You were torn between looking at him and not looking at him, it was such a complicated feeling as you did not know how he was taking last night’s...incident. </p><p> </p><p>“Hey… Alastor?” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Silence. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Well, that sure stung. You weren’t new to his cold shoulder, but he should at least have the decency to let you know that he was ignoring you. Does that even make any sense? You knew that sounded stupid, but you just...just wish that he would show whether he hated you or not. It would be easier to have a clear understanding of how he felt than just be kept in a grey area. </p><p> </p><p>Your heart began pounding violently when a thought came across you. Was it...finally time to confess to Alastor what kind of person you truly were? That you were a <em> crazed, obsessive </em> fangirl that <em> thirsted </em> for him so badly that you had filled your room of anything that involved him, and that you were stupid enough to be scared of him knowing that more than be scared of the consequences you’d face after suddenly kissing him last night?</p><p> </p><p>Contemplating over this made you realize how much of an idiot you were acting like. It’s not <em> your </em> fault that he was such a deliciously smug deer man that you couldn’t stop simping for. Well, okay, <em> maybe </em> it is partly your fault for your lack of self-control. Ugh, what a <em> mess </em>, (Name).  </p><p> </p><p>Another sigh escaped you. </p><p> </p><p>“Look, Alastor. I’m…I’m sorry.” you sincerely told him, looking at him from the corner of your eye. “I… The truth is… I’m crazy for you. I-I mean <em> really crazy </em>for you. Ever since I saw you from that show, I couldn’t get you out of my mind. I became your fangirl.” </p><p> </p><p>You should have stopped there. Like, you really, really should have - but it was often harder than it looked, considering the fact that you couldn’t stop blabbering on once you started. “At first, I was just a normal one that adored you… but it became an unhealthy obsession that I couldn’t get rid of. You see, my room used to be filled with your photos, from walls to the ceiling…” you paused for a brief moment to see if he would respond. Nothing.</p><p> </p><p>Of course he wouldn’t, he probably thought you were fucking crazy. </p><p> </p><p>You bit your lip before continuing. His unresponsiveness meant that things did not bode well for you, you felt yourself shaking a bit. “Th-That’s why I k-kissed you, because I didn’t want you to find out about all this.” </p><p> </p><p>And then you were spiraling.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s <em> stupid </em> , right?” you laughed, mocking yourself. You well-deserve it, after all. “I’m just a <em> helplessly disgusting </em> human that’s <em> obsessed </em> with you. I knew you’d hate me for it, I knew you’d be disgusted by me, I’ve accepted that… no matter how much I don’t want you to.”</p><p> </p><p>As your eyes began to water at the impending string of hurtful words that would soon be targeted at you by the person you regarded the most, you decided to let out one last confession. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “You weren’t my favorite. They held no competition against you in my book. It’s always just been you.” </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Moments after you confess that, you felt your face heat up from how embarrassed you were of saying that. It may have been the truth, but actually saying that aloud made you <em> too flustered. </em> Yeesh, what are you acting like this for? What are you, some sort of shy schoolgirl that just confessed her love to an upperclassman? Get a grip! You were talking to <em> Alastor. </em> Anyone who knew him knows that the more likely ending to this was your untimely death in a snap of his finger. </p><p> </p><p>Yet, he still made not a single word. </p><p> </p><p>Taking a brave step forward, you spoke up, “Alastor, I know you’re mad at me… but can you at least say somethi--”</p><p> </p><p>You were brought to a stop as an overwhelmingly unpleasant smell of something burning came wafting through the air. Wait...<em> burning? </em></p><p> </p><p>Hurriedly, you ran over to Alastor’s side to check. As your eyes landed on the frying pan, you noticed that the bacon has now been charred, completely inedible now that it was burnt to a crisp. Panicked, you looked up at him. “Alastor, the food’s burning!” </p><p> </p><p>He had his usual, enigmatic smile on his face, but didn’t even meet your gaze. <em> This is ridiculous. </em> You groaned. “Seriously, Alastor-- THE FOOD IS BURNING!”</p><p> </p><p>He didn’t budge. </p><p> </p><p>Waving a hand in front of his face to catch his attention, you notice that he was unfazed. That’s when it hit you. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Was he… asleep!?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Having no choice, you placed your hand on his arm to shake him awake. “A-Alastor, Alastor wake up!” </p><p> </p><p>Radio static began to crackle, along with those high-pitched sounds you’d hear when you’re trying to find a certain radio frequency. Once the sounds have calmed, you saw his irises quickly direct towards you. Seeing that he was back, you jumped backwards. </p><p> </p><p>“I--sorry--<em> food </em>!” you were able to choke out, feeling nervousness and panic pile within you. Taking in your words, he shifted his attention to the pan he had been holding. </p><p> </p><p>“Oh, gracious!” he exclaimed, turning off the stove. “I must have… dozed off. HA-HA-HA!” his sudden boisterous laughter filled the room. </p><p> </p><p>You were still unsure of how to respond to him. “How… how long have you been asleep like that..?” you asked, wondering just how much he had heard from you… or if he even heard you at all. </p><p> </p><p>“I did not take notice of you until you had shaken me awake.” Alastor answered you. </p><p> </p><p>Hearing him say that both relieved and frustrated you. “Oh…” you replied, letting out a deep breath. </p><p> </p><p>Your reaction made him eye you curiously. “Pray tell, dear, I feel you had said something… <em> important </em>?” </p><p> </p><p>“N-No.” you stammered. Way to be convincing, (Name). You’re doing <em> great </em> . Trying to shake off your conscience mentally bullying yourself, you gave a wry smile. “I...I just apologized about last night.” you told him. It was... <em> somehow </em>the truth. A piece of it. That’s…not counted as lying, right?</p><p> </p><p>“Ah…” His tone slightly faltered, you swore it felt like it did. Staring down at you, you saw his eyes begin to glow a faint red, despite him being in his human form. He stepped towards you, making you back up to the counter. “You might need to up your sales talk, my dear…” he trailed, pinching your cheek to raise your gaze to his as he chuckled darkly. “...<em> because I’m not buying it. </em>” </p><p> </p><p>“M-May I interest you in an exciting offer to compensate?” you asked him, partnering it with a nervous chuckle. You tried treading lightly on the matter, riding on the way Alastor is bringing it about. </p><p> </p><p>He huffed in amusement, placing his hands behind his back and bending down to face you, at an incredibly close distance, your nose nearly touching his. “What offer may this be, darling?”</p><p> </p><p>“We… can call it even and forget everything that happened last night...?” you tried asking of him, implying how he countered your action by reciprocating your kiss, thus making it even between the two of you. </p><p> </p><p>Alastor guffawed at your silly proposition. “Oh! Ohoho… no, no, no, no.” he shook his head, looking at you intently with half-lidded eyes once he calmed down. “You have us mistaken, my dear!” </p><p> </p><p>“What?” </p><p> </p><p>Before you could even process what was happening, Alastor crashed his lips onto yours, sending sparks through your whole, surprised being. As your lips parted on reflex, as you were about to speak up and question this, he cupped both your cheeks with his hands to deepen the kiss, the warmth of his face spreading across yours that was equally so, if not more. </p><p> </p><p>The feeling was confusing, amazing, and dare you say, <em> addicting </em>, all while being washed over with conflicting emotions brought by your own morals and emotions for him.  It was causing your world to spin, but being the selfish creature you were, you gave in to it, losing yourself into it again just as you did last night--completely helpless as you had always been. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> And you knew that it was still wrong. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>When he finally parted his lips from yours, you gasped out for air, overwhelmed by the vigor the deer demon had shown in doing such an action. His personality had always baffled you, and is continuously doing so, it was literally <em> frustrating </em> to figure out. Much so that at that very moment, you felt like you would tear up from all the unsettling emotions this situation was giving you. </p><p> </p><p>As you fluttered your eyes open, you were surprised to see Alastor in his usual deer demon form. Seemingly looking victorious over the damage he had caused, he answered you, flashing his signature grin with his sharp yellow teeth.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p><em> “Demons don’t get even, darling. We take more than what you’ve bargained for.” </em> </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>You tried to think of a response, but you were left unable to utter a word. You felt trapped in an emotional whirlpool you brought your own boat in, all for your selfish, obsessive needs. Once again covering your mouth, your burning red face...your--you wish you could cover your everything and just disappear, because you didn’t know how to handle<em> what just happened </em>. </p><p> </p><p>The thirst you felt for him was immense, but there are times when your rationality kicks in, and it kicks you <em> hard </em>. The lingering feeling of Alastor’s lips now felt bittersweet, which should have been intensely sugary according to your old, completely disillusioned self. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Shouldn’t you be… happy about this? </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Alastor had been anticipating a response from you, but silence enveloped the room. You didn’t know how to react. What reaction was he expecting? What would he have found acceptable? What...were you supposed to do? Gritting your teeth, you were about to speak your mind without properly thinking it through. “Alastor, I--”</p><p> </p><p>“<em> Alastor… ? </em>”</p><p> </p><p>Your eyes immediately darted to the kitchen door, where you heard a familiar voice. There, you saw your friend, eyes wide, jaw dropped, and completely aghast. It was as if the world thrived on your utter vexation, as if its goal was well-deserved downfall. She kept bouncing her gaze between you and Alastor. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p><em> “Oh my god, (Name)... is he…?” </em> (Friend’s Name) began, looking absolutely <em> flabbergasted </em>by the scene before her. This whole thing has become such a mess! It’s all over now, she found you two out! As multiple knots formed in your stomach, you slowly approached her. “(Friend’s Name)--”</p><p> </p><p>This was it. This was the end. She found out, it was over. Hell couldn’t save you now.</p><p> </p><p>“--Is your boyfriend <em> cosplaying </em> as Alastor?!” she exclaimed, utterly thrilled by the notion. </p><p> </p><p>The moment her words registered in your head, you went blank, fighting the urge to look at her dead in the eye and say, “<em> b r u h.” </em></p><p> </p><p>Yet, you realize… <em> this was your way out! </em> </p><p> </p><p>Taking a deep breath, you faced her with a tight-lipped smile that you wished was convincing enough. “Y-Yeah.” </p><p> </p><p>“OH MY GOD!” your friend squealed upon getting your confirmation. Pointing a finger at you with a scrunched up face, she spoke, “(Name), you <em> fucking kinky little shit---I’m so jealous!!!” </em></p><p> </p><p>Not quite following what was unfolding before him, and obviously unaware of the damage being done to his dignity, Alastor cleared his throat. “Ahem. What is this <em> ‘cosplaying’ </em>thing of which you speak of?” </p><p> </p><p>Your eyes grew wide, Alastor could fucking ruin your attempt to make an excuse! You gave him a hard look, mentally asking him to go along with it. Realizing that you were trying to lie to your friend about it, he shrugs before nodding. Laughing off his question, you decided to cover it up. “Hah! H-He <em> loves to be in character, too! </em>”</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>(Friend’s Name) looked at you with playful disgust. “<em> What the fuck, (Name)?! UGH. Couldn’t you guys have waited until I left before you get into your kinky-ass foreplay?!” </em></p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Both you and Alastor turned into rocks at that point. </p><p> </p><p>Blood rose up, probably overloading your cheeks at this point, giving you one of the reddest faces you’ve ever had. Embarrassed, flustered, <em> ashamed, </em>you shook your head whilst waving your hands in front of you. “WHAT?! NO! THAT’S NOT IT!!!” </p><p> </p><p>“<em> You thirsty-ass bitch, I’m sure of it!” </em>your friend retorted, puffing her cheeks. The two of you stared at each other for a good moment before bursting into laughter. Poor Alastor understood nothing from the whole exchange. When the laughter calmed down, your friend wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Oh god, (Name). You lucky hoe. I hate you.” she joked. Gesturing at Alastor, she continued. “Where can I get a guy like that?!” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Her question made you laugh again. “<em> Hell, obviously </em>.” </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>“Ugh!” she groaned, giving you a playful shove. Shaking her head, she let out a sigh, content from the round of laughter you two had. Suddenly, she snapped her fingers and turned to you. “Oh! I almost forgot!” she exclaimed; worry suddenly lacing her voice. “Are… are your parents home?” </p><p> </p><p>“W-Why?” you asked, not affirming anything yet before she gives her reason. Furrowing her brows, your friend replied, “Well, I heard people fighting in the other room, I vaguely recall that it was your parents’ room, so I thought…” </p><p> </p><p>“O-Oh. Yeah, they… they needed to get some documents for work,but they would have to go back… because my uhm, siblings were left behind.” You explained, hoping that that was believable enough for her. She nodded, “It’s alright. I was just concerned by the shouting… but don’t worry! I didn’t really want to pry.” </p><p> </p><p>“Thanks, (Friend’s Name).” you gave her a meaningful look. Even though it wasn’t really your parents who were in there, you felt touched by the way she respects your personal affairs. “I appreciate it.” </p><p> </p><p>She gently placed a hand on your shoulder. “No problem!” </p><p> </p><p>Concerned by what she had told you, you excused yourself. “Sorry, I’ll--I’ll just check up on them if that’s alright? You can, uhm, stay here with ‘Alastor’ haha.” </p><p> </p><p>“Sure, sure!” she giggled, still finding it funny that your ‘boyfriend’ is ‘cosplaying’ for you. You gave Alastor an apologetic look before you went off to go upstairs. </p><p> </p><p>As you got up to the second floor, you could hear muffled voices coming from your parents’ room. You were relieved to realize that your friend wouldn’t have understood anything, but the thought that they were shouting at each other concerned you deeply. </p><p> </p><p>Knocking on the door, you heard the shift of their voices to lowered, hush ones. “Guys, it’s me.” </p><p> </p><p>Unlocked from the other side, you pushed open the door and peered into the room. There you saw Vaggie and Husk standing near the door, while Charlie and Niffty were knelt down on the floor… beside a certain spider demon that had been curled up on the floor, shaking. All of them had concerned looks of varying levels on their faces, as did yours when the situation began to reach you. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em> “... What happened to Angel?” </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I’m addicted to the sorrow. </p><p>So this contains a bit more of the workings of Reader’s mind. I just want to remind everyone that I’m trying to make Reader as human as I could...and the thing is, we are all flawed beings. To be the star of your story doesn’t require you to be great or perfect. It requires you to be you, and your experiences that lead you to the you you aspire to be, even if you have to go through helluva consequences for it. This is an Alastor x Reader, yes, but following the concept that Reader is us in real life, encountering this, we have to remember that these characters are from literal hell. Sometimes, life teaches us the hard way.</p><p>Food for thought for next chapter: Watch Addict MV. I already had character arcs planned for this fic, but the MV has opened up to so many concepts to strengthen the story! I’m so excited to roll these out soon! </p><p>Happy birthday to my best friend, Samantha! &lt;3 I hope you enjoy this update! :&gt;</p><p>Special thanks to Brooke (one of the authors of Dapper Dresser) for betareading for me! I really appreciate the pointers! &lt;3 </p><p>My friends made awesome fanart for "Quarantine With Me, Darling"! I love them so much! Do give them follows &lt;3 Follow me @HHQWMD on Twitter if you haven’t yet, too, so you can be updated!</p><p>Comic by @2logako:  https://twitter.com/2logako/status/1278009420157382656?s=20<br/>Fanart by @RavenouScorpian: https://twitter.com/RavenouScorpian/status/1280226592116158467?s=20<br/>Comic by @SubscribetoOxy2: https://twitter.com/SubscribetoOxy2/status/1280252790208712704?s=20</p><p>Stay home and take care, quarantined darlings! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Be More Careful</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello, my darlings! I missed you guys so much. :'( Sorry for the long wait! There's a lot of things that happened (see end notes), but I've decided to come back. I'm still very passionate about writing, and I really appreciate everyone who has patiently waited for this update! This chapter is a bit tense hehe. Thanks for waiting and happy reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>Knocking on the door, you heard the shift of their voices to lowered, hush ones. “Guys, it’s me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unlocked from the other side, you pushed open the door and peered into the room. There you saw Vaggie and Husk standing near the door, while Charlie and Niffty were knelt down on the floor...beside a certain spider demon that had been curled up on the floor, shaking. All of them had concerned looks of varying levels on their faces, as did yours when the situation began to reach you. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“...What happened to Angel..?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>*~*~*~*</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From the moment these demons had appeared before you in your home, you had already begun to slowly prepare yourself for the situations that they could possibly put you in. You had quietly, mentally prepared yourself should they have treated you negatively.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You expected at some point, that your life would be in danger because of them. You expected for them to try and hurt you or other people in this world. You expected for them to take advantage of you, and use their demonic powers to force you into doing their bidding. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You expected evil things. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Yet, in hindsight, you failed to realize that these demons are vulnerable to evil things, too. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cautiously, you approached the spider demon and knelt beside him. Hesitant, uncertain, you gently placed a hand on his shoulder. Flinching from your touch, he withdrew his hands from his face and opened his eyes to glare at you. “Y-Ya here, too? Ya came to watch the show? To see this fuckin’ pathetic shit-ass bitch cry? Why can’t everyone just fuckin’ leave me alone, huh?!” he hissed, shrugging your hand off of him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Angel...what’s wrong?” You softly asked, not retorting to his heated response. Looking around, you saw the others’ concerned faces. “We can’t help you if you don’t tell us what’s wrong.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ha! Who says I fuckin’ need the help?” Angel snapped, hastily gathering himself to a seated position. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Charlie took a step forward. “Angel...you’re not being yourself. We...can tell that you’re not okay.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who the fuck are ya to say that?!” The spider demon scoffed, his anger fueled further. “Ya don’t even know half of me, toots! How fuckin’ nice of ya to think ya got a say on how I really am or not.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At that, Vaggie stepped in front of Charlie, in a protective stance. “Calm down, Angel. We’re...just concerned.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Crossing his arms, Angel gave a sarcastic laugh. “Calm down? Haha! That’s rich. You dumb broads were the ones making such a fuckin’ fuss about this. I don’t fuckin’ need your damn concern.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angel Dust abruptly stood up. “I’m fuckin’ taking this stupid bed.” he grunted as he climbed onto the bed, flipping them off with one of his hands before concealing himself under the thick blanket. Silence filled the room for a good moment after that. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Letting out a frustrated sigh, Vaggie rubbed her temples. “We just...ugh…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wanting to comfort her girlfriend, Charlie massaged the female moth demon’s shoulders. Turning to  you, the princess softly spoke. “...Angel was...having a nightmare. He began thrashing in his sleep...and when we tried waking him up, he...well, he turned really aggressive when he came to.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A nightmare? Could it really just be that?” You asked aloud, your voice filled with concern. With the way Angel was acting up, it felt like there was something more than what was being let on. You had some knowledge on the kind of...past Angel had to deal with before, but since all you had going for content were the comics and pilot episode, you don’t exactly have a good grasp on how to go about all this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Husk quietly observed you from a distance, his eyes lazily drifting from you to Angel. “It could be a side effect from all the alcohol or somethin’...” he trailed, his brows furrowing. “...but with just this much I was pretty sure it wouldn’t even get to him...unless y’know, he was drinking more than this.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>An uncomfortable knot just tied in your stomach. Was it...because Angel was secretly drinking more...or maybe, too much...after you gave him access to the storage room? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wouldn’t it mean that you’re basically at fault here, too?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re such an idiot. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was as if a lump formed in your throat, making your guilt feel all the more prominent. Unable to bear carrying the weight of it any longer, you decide to confess your part in all this. “I--Well, the tru--”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Argh! Would ya bitches just fuckin’ shut up? Shut up! </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shut up!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Angel hissed from under the blanket. “If ya fuckers actually want to do something decent for a change, then give me some fuckin’ peace an’ quiet will ya?!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Taken aback by the spider’s sudden tantrum, everyone looked at each other and let out a sigh. Moving closer to you, Charlie whispered, “Let’s...Let’s just let him be for now. We’ll be fine here, really, (Name)...” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Feeling like you lost the opportunity to explain your side on this, you decided to give in. “I-I suppose.” you shrugged, noticing from the corner of your eyes that Husk was looking at you. Suddenly afraid of his gaze, you turn away from them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll check on you guys again later, I’ll...go downstairs for now.” you told them in a low voice before closing the door behind you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You quietly descended the stairs, your mind riddled with too many concerns to keep track of. Angel was clearly suffering from something you </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>you played a part in. If it were really true that he had been drinking far too much in such a short span of time, then it was really a big mistake to give him the key to the storage room. As you contemplated on the whole situation, you slowly ponder on why you had even agreed to it in the first place. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angel Dust knew you had feelings for Alastor. You didn’t want anyone to know. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ah. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So it was all because you were a </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucking coward. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And where did that even leave you? There were a million unanswered questions regarding your...strange...relationship with the Radio Demon. It was a rollercoaster you dived into without buckling in the seatbelts. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was going good, then you fuck up, then you make up, and then you...</span>
  <em>
    <span>make out</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your cheeks briefly flushed red upon recalling the series of unfortunate events that had revolved around you and the deer demon, especially his crazily confusing responses to your equally insane personal logic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Somewhere in your heart, a forbidden glimmer of hope was fighting its way from your subconsciousness--a whimsical thought you had held yourself back from having the moment they had appeared before your very eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe, just maybe, it was possible for Alastor to fall for y--...</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Hah! No.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You immediately erased that thought bubble, comically waving your hands above your head as if to fend off any unnecessary wishes your selfish, obsessive fangirl mind was capable of whipping up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’d be impossible. Haha..” you softly murmured to yourself. The blush that was returning to your face had betrayed your own words, however, much to your dismay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As you were nearing the bottom of the stairs, you overheard a conversation that made your blood run cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>“So, it’s a deal, then?</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>”It’s a deal.”</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Your eyes grew wide. There were no other people downstairs, and you knew both their voices--what is your friend doing, making a deal with </span>
  <em>
    <span>Alastor </span>
  </em>
  <span>of all people?!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Does she know?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Wait! Even if she did know he was Alastor--why the fuck would she even do it? This doesn’t make any sense! Should you just confront them about it? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And then what?</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The thoughts running through your mind about the situation had you feeling suffocated. You ran your fingers across your hair, a deep exhale softly escaping you. If she doesn’t know that it’s the real Alastor, then your friend just unknowingly dug her own grave, making a deal with a demon--especially the likes of Alastor. If she did know that it was Alastor…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That’s a scarier thought, don’t you think? </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Striking a deal with Alastor was emphasized to be extremely dangerous, according to the show. Vaggie even warned you about him just as she did to Charlie. It wasn’t that she was being overprotective of her girlfriend, but her good judgment tells her that a demon as powerful and sketchy as Alastor was someone not to be trusted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not even an infamous Alastor simp such as yourself would dare make a dangerous deal with the Radio Demon.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ah, who were you kidding? You would probably do it for a fucked up reason at some point. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You wonder, with chills running down your spine, if that was the case with your Alastor-obsessed friend, too. In all the years you’ve known (Friend’s Name), she’s been nothing but the supportive, considerate friend who you were thrilled to have as you both loved to gush about Hazbin Hotel and other fandoms you were in. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yet, you ponder, how your friend would react if she had to choose between you and Alastor. You don’t think she’d be a selfish, obsessive, insatiable fangirl who would weigh a murderous demon more than her good, in-real-life friend. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If anything, it would be you who would fit that description. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Although your reasoning is leaning towards your trust in your friend...you could feel contempt beginning to form in your heart. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unconsciously, you took a step forward, unaware that there was still one more step before the actual floor. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And yeah, you slipped down, ungracefully, like the klutz that you were. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ouch! Ugh…” you exclaimed upon hitting the ground, your bottom taking most of the impact. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, you hear someone running towards you. “Oh my god, (Name), are you okay?!” your friend asked you frantically, her face full of concern. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking at how she genuinely cared made you feel like scum. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uhm, ahah…” you managed to say, gently massaging the hurt area. “I-I’m fine, really. I just slipped, nothing serious.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, thank goodness.” she said, sighing in relief. Reaching out her hand to you, she continued as she pulled you up. “You gotta be more careful, girl.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As you stood up, you realized Alastor was also there behind her. (Friend’s Name) noticed you looking at him and smiled back at you. “Oops! How could I forget--you have a boyfriend now to take care of you, haha!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Still having a hold of your hand, your friend pulled you forward and moved away so you would collide with Alastor. Letting go of you, she started walking towards the kitchen. “I’ll let your boyfie take care of you while I get you an ice pack, hehe.” she told you, giving you a wink and a thumbs up sign. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A chuckle escaped you, she’s still as energetic and considerate as ever. “Alright.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As she disappeared into the kitchen, you realize that you had unconsciously clutched onto Alastor’s shirt when you collided into him. “I--uhm, sorry.” you apologized as you let go, taking a step back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“She’s right, you know?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His response caught you slightly off-guard, making you look away from him on reflex. Quietly, you asked, “What?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He brought a finger to your chin and raised it to make sure you met his eyes, which were strangely glowing red even in his human form. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“You have to be more careful.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite wearing his usual smile, you could feel the seriousness in the tone of his static-laced voice. Was he trying to threaten you?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A warning?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You let out a nervous laugh. “That...goes without saying.” you commented, gently pushing his finger away from you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For a moment, it looked like Alastor was about to say something else, but was interrupted by a voice coming from the kitchen. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“(Name)? Are you guys done being lovey-dovey there? You still need this ice pack!” (Friend’s Name) called out, giggling as she teased you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Walking past Alastor to head to the kitchen, you called out in reply. “Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Well, until you felt a hand grasp your wrist. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Immediately, you turned around. “Uhm, yes, Alastor..?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In a swift motion, he bent down to whisper something in your ear, which would have secretly excited your unreasonable fangirl self, but what you heard from him confused you so much that you went blank. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Just as I’m trying to plant purple hyacinths now, I do hope you never let the red dahlias prick you.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You tilted your head. “I, uh...I don’t have a garden?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alastor laughed, amused by your answer. “It’s a garden that cannot be seen, darling.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...Okay?” you replied, still looking at him questioningly. However, with his grin like that, you could tell there wasn’t anything else he had to say. Hearing him laugh eased you down a bit, seeing as he’s starting to become less cold. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“(Name)? You’re gonna have a bruise or something, girl.” your friend called out to you again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alastor let go of your wrist, gesturing for you to go ahead. Finally entering the kitchen, you replied as you took a seat beside her, “Yes, yes, I’m here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Geez, seriously.” your friend laughed, placing the ice pack on your cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Surprised by the sudden feeling of coldness on your skin, you flinched. “Hey!” you shoved her hand away playfully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She stuck out her tongue at you. “That’s for taking so long.” she said, handing you the ice pack so you can place it on your lower back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah. Sorry, Ala--Al was uhm, just being a bit weird earlier.” you told her, letting out a sigh. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Friend’s Name) took a seat beside you, resting her chin on her knuckle. She giggled, idly drawing circles on the table with her finger. “My, my. A fussy boyfriend, I see.” she teased. “...What do you mean by ‘weird’?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He started talking about flowers all of a sudden.” you casually replied. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She froze. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You weren’t sure why, but the air suddenly felt slightly thicker than usual. Even someone as normal and as plain as you had enough survival instincts to tell that something was amiss. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“O-Oh?” she responded with a rather uneasy tone. “What did he exactly say?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Although you clearly remember what he said...you felt as if you wanted to keep it between just you and him. After all, she hasn’t even mentioned to you her deal with Alastor, either. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He…” you paused, trying to think of a different answer. “He just wanted to give me flowers...because he felt bad that he, uh, wasn’t there to catch me when I...fell.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You looked at your friend to see if she bought your white lie.  “Haha! Eew, you guys are sooooo romantic!” she laughed, as she stood up and began walking out of the kitchen. “So cheesy, it’s making me sick.” she added in a lower voice, but laughed again after. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As you were left there, alone in the kitchen with an ice pack in your hands, you begin to wonder how you would be dealing with everything right now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angel was having some sort of night terrors. Your friend was having a questionable relationship with Alastor by agreeing to a deal you still have no clue about. Your job just cut off half your salary. Your family is coming back home in less than a month. And, most of all, there’s that pandemic that is still a danger to anyone who could catch the virus. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You sighed. “Well, at least it can’t get into a more complicated situation than this, right?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Little did you know, you just committed the worst, most cliche mistake in fanfic--or any typical story in history. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Asking if it can get any worse. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ah, you idiot. </span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Despite the rollercoaster of events that transpired in just the morning alone, the afternoon was going fairly peacefully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angel seems to have been sleeping most of the day, skipping lunch despite Charlie’s pleas. You were praying that Angel would feel better soon, and you promise yourself to talk it out with him after your friend goes back to her home. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alastor has been quiet, which was quite unlike him, but then again you haven’t gotten the chance to properly talk to him again after all the crazy stuff that happened earlier either. He’s just keeping himself busy in the kitchen after finding a cookbook in one of the shelves in your living room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>For most of the day, it was just you and your friend, hanging out and watching shows together. She was being her usual self, and as you went along with it, you were having fun bonding with her, too. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Although...amidst all that, you still have this unnerving feeling about something that you’ve been dying to bring up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What kind of deal did she make with Alastor?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So, as I was saying, (Name)--(Name)?” your friend paused and snapped her fingers in front of your face. “Yoohoo?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As you got out of your trance, you shook her head and gave a nervous laugh. “Oh, haha! Sorry, I was just...thinking of, uhm, work.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ohh, is everything okay?” she inquired. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You smiled at her. “Ah, it’s fine. It’s fine. Uhm, what about you? You work from home, too, right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah! I’ve been taking calls for this new client, recently. I can’t believe they assigned me that account, I thought I did average on that test they gave on all these different kinds of flowers.” she laughed, pinching the bridge of her nose. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You raised an eyebrow. “Flowers?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, it was this big flower shop company. They even had us take a test to make sure we know what each flower looks like and what it means!” she complained. “It was frustrating!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, any job can be frustrating.” you consoled her, giving her a pat on the shoulder. “Say…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You thought about what you were going to ask for a moment. “What...does a white rose mean?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aww, no! Are you the examiner part two?!” she groaned playfully, pushing your hand off of her shoulders. Despite her complaints, she replied. “It could mean innocence, or it could mean a new beginning.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her answer seemed convincing enough. “Really?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She gave you a light punch on the shoulder. “Hey! I worked hard memorizing those meanings.” your friend giggled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How about sunflowers?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Friend’s Name) grins. “Loyalty or adoration!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh..red carnations?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Love and affection!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She smiles at you proudly. “See? You don’t need to be testing me, girl.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Haha, right...I was just really curious.” you told her. “How about purple hyacinths?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that’s...regret.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your breath hitched at the response. “Regret? That’s all it means?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well…” she paused, “It means sorrow. Basically...it’s a flower used to say ‘I’m sorry’ to someone.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Why did Alastor say that he was planting purple hyacinths?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What was he sorry for?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Or...what does he regret?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Is...he beginning to regret? Is that what he means? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Troubled by it, you asked your friend, “What about...red dahlias?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah, well, it mostly means strength or power…” (Friend’s Name) replied, cupping her chin as she thought. “But I remember a customer feeling offended when they were given red dahlias, because it felt as if the person who sent it felt like that recipient lacked power...wait, why are you asking these?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I--er, well, I was actually thinking of sending flowers to a client for work, too.” you lied, scratching your head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your friend beamed. “Wow! Well, I’m your girl! What are you giving?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“U-Uhm,” you stuttered. “Purple hyacinths and red dahlias?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your answer made her gasp, as if you said something really taboo. She placed her hands on her hips. “Girl, are you trying to get rid of that client? Do you hate them or something?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wh-What? No! Why?” you were baffled by her reaction. Why would those two flowers be so bad together? You felt a sinking feeling, thinking about what the Radio Demon could have meant. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your friend covered her mouth for a good moment, as if she’s preparing to gather her words first. “Well, I remember that awful time one of our coworkers sent these flowers to his wife before he asked for a divorce…” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?” you asked, completely confused. “That bad?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, if you put the flower of sorrow together with a flower you give to someone you think needs strength…” she began explaining, twiddling her thumbs. She sighed, “Ah, my coworker was really spiteful, he told me he regret marrying his wife because she was too weak-spirited, unlike the free soul his mistress was.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s...kind of an asshole move to send her flowers to say that…” you managed to comment, worry beginning to brew within you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, if you’re in the industry, it affects your thinking sometimes.” (Friend’s Name) laughed. "There’s a lot of interpretations for the flowers, but he had a personal meaning in mind.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You tilted your head. “...What was that?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Turning to you, your friend gave you an eerie smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>“I’m sorry, but you’re not good enough for me.”</b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Don't let the red dahlias prick you. </p><p>Thank you for reading, everyone! ( ; w \ ) I'm so sorry for the long wait.. For the past few months, I've been struggling at home;; Back then I would help out with the bills, but now, sadly, I ended up being the one paying for everything. :(( My mom closed down her company, then I found out my parents had large loans they were struggling to pay...so to keep the house running, I used all my savings, my 13th month pay, and most of my salary for everything at home. It's...really upsetting. I love my family and of course I help out as much as I can, but it just feels...a little disappointing that they're making me shoulder everything. The saddest thing I heard from my sibling was that, we somehow became a retirement plan. </p><p>Ahah. Sad, isn't it? But yeah, it troubled me so much that I couldn't find myself happy enough to write. Sorry for letting you guys know something so sad;;; But yeah, for those who asked what happened to me, this was it. Thankful for all the friends that stayed with me, who make me smile everyday. They're so precious to me. :') Everyone's comments on this fic have given me strength, too!</p><p>I've resolved to continue writing, because I still want to do what I love to do. I always feel so happy to share my works with you guys. :') Thank you so much for all the support. Please do subscribe to my YouTube channel "flamehazelollipop", too, I make Hazbin/Helluva covers. For those who donate to my Ko-Fi (ko-fi.com/flamehazelollipop), thank you so much ( T ^ T) / There was a time months ago where I literally had nothing left, and I remembered the donations I received, I used it to pay for groceries huhu;; Since my parents won't be contributing to the bills anytime soon, I would appreciate any support;; I will also be opening fanfic commissions starting January, as well! Please do DM me on Twitter if you're interested! </p><p>Waaa sorry this was so long! You guys are like friends I haven't gotten to talk to in so long and I felt like I wanted to catch up x'D Hope everyone is doing okay, too! Happy holidays! &lt;3 I'll do my best to bring out the next chapters soon because I'm so excited to let y'all cry, I mean laugh xD just kidding! Stay safe and quarantined at home, darlings! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You asked for this. Thanks for reading! Let me know if you want me to continue this fic. :') Take care and stay home! Follow flamehazelollipop @HHQWMD on Twitter for updates and possible discussions on this story &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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